FOLEY, Ala. (WALA) – Four men from Jamaica are facing charges after allegedly defrauding victims across the United States, including the Gulf Coast, out of more than $200,000.
On February 7, the FBI apprehended Peter Walcott, Malik Chambers, Romario Nembhard, and Jermaine Smith in Foley.
Court documents reveal that the suspects ran a fraudulent scheme, convincing victims they had won a lottery. However, to claim their “winnings,” victims were told they needed to pay “taxes.”
Investigators said victims sent cash and checks via FedEx, which flagged and intercepted large sums of money. These funds were returned to the victims along with a warning. But not all victims were as fortunate.
Federal court records indicate that from April 2020 to February 2023—before the FBI launched an investigation—around 90 packages were sent to the suspects’ Baldwin County addresses, often under false names.
Parker Still, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Mobile Division, said the suspects primarily targeted elderly victims.
“The suspects operated a Publisher’s Clearing House-type scam, defrauding one of our most vulnerable groups—older adults,” said Still. “This scheme affected people from Florida to California, reaching across the country.”
Lottery scams like these are on the rise, according to Still, with authorities working to prevent further victimization.
Jorjalyn Weaver of the Better Business Bureau of Central and South Alabama stressed the importance of verifying recipients when sending money.
“Older adults are especially susceptible to scams involving lotteries and sweepstakes,” Weaver noted. “Last year, over half of the reports we received about these scams came from seniors, and they also experienced the highest financial losses.”
The FBI estimates that seniors lose more than $3 billion annually to scams.
The four suspects now face federal charges, including mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit these crimes. If convicted, they could face up to 20 years in prison.
