LAUDERHILL, FL – A man is facing multiple felony charges after being implicated in an elaborate lottery scam that defrauded elderly victims of more than $7 million. Leroy Alfred Vassell, 26, of Lauderhill, was arrested and charged with four counts of felony grand theft for crimes committed between October 2023 and February 2024.
According to records from the Lauderhill Police Department, Vassell allegedly participated in a fraudulent Publishers Clearing House scheme aimed at deceiving older residents. Victims were led to believe they had won a lottery and were instructed to send large sums of money, purportedly for taxes and administrative fees, before receiving their supposed winnings.
The investigation, which spanned multiple states, revealed that Vassell received cashier’s checks totaling $280,178.29 from four elderly victims. Court documents show that these checks were sent to Vassell’s business address near the 2000 block of Northwest 56 Avenue in Lauderhill. Multiple agencies found that the funds were deposited into Vassell’s business account and withdrawn shortly thereafter, with Vassell keeping a portion of the money for himself.
Victim reports indicate substantial losses: one victim sent checks totaling $127,286.29, another lost $93,497.00, a third victim sent $50,000.00, and a fourth lost $9,395.00—all believing they needed to pay taxes on their winnings.
The scheme was uncovered when one victim reported the fraud to law enforcement in Boulder, Colorado, leading to a broader investigation that connected the fraudulent activity to Vassell’s bank accounts. Detectives found that the funds were being funneled through Vassell’s accounts as part of a sophisticated money laundering operation.
In his interview with law enforcement, Vassell claimed he was unaware of the source of the funds, asserting he was merely assisting friends by allowing them to use his bank accounts. However, investigators traced multiple deposits to Vassell’s accounts that matched the cashier’s checks sent by victims. Surveillance footage confirmed Vassell as the depositor of the funds.
Vassell’s attorney later claimed that his client had been receiving threatening phone calls from an unknown male demanding the return of funds. Vassell expressed fear for his safety and that of his family.
Despite initially cooperating with authorities, Vassell declined to speak on record but handed over a cashier’s check for $33,555.15—the remaining balance from one of the illicit deposits—to the City of Lauderhill for safekeeping during the investigation.
As the investigation progressed, additional victims emerged, some reporting losses exceeding $500,000. Many victims indicated they were contacted by individuals claiming to represent Publishers Clearing House, who provided detailed instructions on how to send their payments. The funds were often directed to Vassell’s business account or others involved in the scheme.
Authorities urge anyone who may have been affected by this scam to contact the Lauderhill Police Department or the Boulder Police Department for assistance. The investigation remains ongoing as more suspects and victims are linked to this extensive lottery fraud operation.
Vassell is currently detained in the Broward County Main Jail.
