{KXLG – Sioux Falls, SD} Dwayne Anderson, a 35-year-old Jamaican national, initially appeared in a Sioux Falls court today following his extradition from Jamaica. Anderson is accused of participating in a long-running scheme to defraud a California woman out of millions of dollars in a fake sweepstakes.
According to the indictment filed in February 2023, Anderson used various aliases to contact the victim between 2010 and 2017. He falsely informed her through phone calls, text messages, and emails that she had won a large sum of money in a sweepstakes.
To claim her prize, Anderson allegedly convinced the victim to send money for fees and taxes associated with the sweepstakes. He provided specific instructions on how and to whom these payments should be made. These requests continued, with Anderson promising the victim her winnings upon further payments.
The deception escalated in September 2017 when Anderson persuaded the victim to travel to Jamaica to supposedly collect her prize money. He instructed her to bring $1,600 in cash, which a driver collected upon her arrival at the airport. Despite the victim fulfilling all his demands, she never received any winnings.
In this case, the U.S. Department of Justice, specifically the Consumer Protection Branch of the Civil Division, commended the cooperation between international law enforcement agencies. Under the U.S. extradition request, the Jamaican Constabulary Force was critical in Anderson’s arrest on July 11th.
“The Justice Department is committed to holding transnational criminals accountable for defrauding Americans, regardless of their location,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton. U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell for the District of South Dakota echoed this sentiment, highlighting the District’s commitment to pursuing and prosecuting perpetrators of such crimes.
The Justice Department highlighted resources available to victims of elder fraud, a category which can include the California woman in this case. The National Elder Fraud Hotline supports callers by assessing their needs and connecting them with relevant agencies. The hotline also emphasizes the importance of reporting such incidents, as it can increase the likelihood of recovering losses and help identify perpetrators.
Anderson faces eight counts of wire fraud, each carrying a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Trial Attorneys Brandon Robers and Edward Emokpae of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Hoffman for the District of South Dakota are prosecuting the case.
The indictment is an accusation, and Anderson is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. The case is a stark reminder of the dangers of sweepstakes scams and the importance of remaining vigilant against such deceptive tactics.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
