After a two-week trial, three individuals were found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection to a lottery scam, in which proceeds were used to purchase and repair salvage vehicles to be sold out of the country.
According to the press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Rohan Lyttle was sentenced to 97 months, Caron Pitter 66 months and Charlene Marshall 34 months. The defendants, who operated an auto body shop in Queens, N.Y., RoCars Auto and a used car dealership in Kingston, Jamaica, Rolcom Company Limited, will each pay restitution of $245,147 to victims of the lottery scam.
Trial evidence showed the defendants targeted elderly individuals. They told elderly individuals they had won multi-million-dollar prizes through the Publisher’s Clearing House but needed to prepay taxes and fees to claim the rewards. Victims were directed to make payments through the U.S. Postal Service, UPS, Federal Express and bank and wire services. Victims’ credit and debit cards were also accessed.
Victims from Pennsylvania and South Carolina claimed in the trial they were defrauded out of more than $1.1 million.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office release stated the defendants, “used the proceeds of the lottery scam to purchase and repair salvage vehicles from online vehicle auctions and ship those vehicles to Rolcam Company Limited for sale to customers in Jamaica.”
One victim was told he won a Range Rover, which needed $15,000 in upgrades before it could be shipped to him.
“The evidence at trial showed that the defendants used these parts to repair a 2019 Land Rover that they purchased from a salvage vehicle auction house. After repairing the vehicle, they shipped it from RoCars Auto to Rolcam Company Limited in Kingston, Jamaica, where it was sold to an unidentified buyer believed to be associated with the lottery scam,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office release said.
