A Florida woman involved in an international lottery fraud scheme has been sentenced to more than three years in federal prison for her role in defrauding victims of millions of dollars.
On Monday, a federal judge sentenced Danielle Diarbakerly to 37 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay more than $3.4 million in restitution to 28 known victims, including at least one resident from West Michigan.
Diarbakerly had previously pleaded guilty in August to conspiracy to commit money laundering. Her plea came months after federal agents arrested her in Miami for her involvement in a long-running international scam that primarily targeted elderly individuals.
According to court documents, the fraud operation ran between January 2020 and September 2024 and was largely coordinated from Jamaica. Members of the scheme contacted victims claiming they had won a large prize in a multistate lottery.
Victims were told they needed to pay significant sums—often exceeding $10,000—to cover taxes and processing fees before they could receive their winnings. The payments were directed to shell companies created and managed by Diarbakerly.
Federal prosecutors said her role was critical to the success of the operation.
“This matter is a serious and pervasive fraud that Diarbakerly participated in for many years,” a prosecutor wrote in a sentencing memorandum. “Her active role in the scheme made it easier for co-conspirators to obtain, conceal, and use the victims’ money.”
Authorities say Diarbakerly’s status as a U.S. resident helped lend legitimacy to the scam. She provided victims with what appeared to be legitimate American businesses and bank accounts, which encouraged them to send payments.
Investigators also allege that she kept a portion of the funds before transferring the majority to international accounts controlled by other members of the conspiracy.
During sentencing, Diarbakerly’s attorneys requested leniency, noting that she had no prior criminal record, struggled with mental health issues, and had recently become a mother. They also argued that her involvement initially began as what she believed to be a legitimate business relationship with a Jamaican businessman.
In a statement submitted to the court, her lawyers claimed she was “as manipulated as the victims” involved in the scheme.
