Two Florida Jamaican Lottery Cases: A "Reload" Caller Gets 5.5 Years and a Money Mule Gets 33 Months

Darryl Cleon Forbes: the "reload" calls

On August 18, 2020, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida, part of the Department of Justice (DOJ), announced that U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis in Jacksonville sentenced Darryl Cleon Forbes, 27, of Jamaica, to five years and six months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was ordered to forfeit $2.4 million and pay $1,122,957 in restitution. Forbes pleaded guilty on November 18, 2019.

According to court documents, as detailed by DOJ:

• From early 2015 until December 2017, Forbes and others ran a fake sweepstakes scheme in Jamaica, the Middle District of Florida and elsewhere.
• They posed as officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or the Department of the Treasury and told U.S. victims they had won a prize but had to send money for fees and taxes.
• They often targeted elderly victims.
• After a victim paid, they called again, repeatedly, to "reload" the victim with more false claims, including fees to ensure "safe delivery" of the prize. This continued as long as the victim kept paying.
• No victim received a prize.
• They recruited U.S. residents to open bank accounts for the money and moved funds to people in Jamaica and elsewhere for ATM withdrawals.

The FBI investigated.

Jennifer Samuels: the middleman

In a separate case, on March 1, 2019, the same office announced that U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich in Tampa sentenced Jennifer Samuels, 47, of Seffner, to 33 months for conspiracy to commit mail fraud as a middleman, or money mule, in a Jamaican lottery scheme. The court entered a money judgment of $209,800.13. Samuels pleaded guilty on October 17, 2018.

According to court documents:

• Co-conspirators called people and falsely said they had won the lottery in Jamaica but owed taxes first. Victims who agreed were told to send money to a middleman.
• In May 2016, co-conspirators told an elderly Middle District of Florida resident he had won $1.4 million and a Mercedes-Benz.
• From May 2016 to May 2018, he sent 52 checks worth $209,800.13 to Samuels.
• She deposited or cashed them, sent most of the money to conspirators in Jamaica and Florida by cash delivery or wire, and kept some for herself.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Pasco Sheriff's Office investigated.

What to take from it

• Posing as the FBI or Treasury was part of the Forbes pitch.
• Repeat "reload" calls kept victims paying in that case.
• A mule who never placed a call still got 33 months.
• One victim mailed 52 checks over two years.

That's it.