by Ryan Belmore
Meagan Shine, a 47-year-old woman from Warwick, has been arraigned in federal court for allegedly defrauding victims of $10 million through various fake lottery and investment schemes. She faces four counts of mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
Shine reportedly targeted elderly and vulnerable individuals, tricking them into believing they had won cash prizes or valuable items. Using the U.S. Mail, she sent out fake solicitations that appeared official, complete with counterfeit bar codes and stamps, urging recipients to send cash to a Providence post office box to claim their supposed winnings.
The fraudulent solicitations reached 41 states, and an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service revealed that approximately 50,000 individuals responded to her schemes.
Shine allegedly operated several businesses under names like Lucky Dog and Destiny Merchandise, maintaining her scam for over a decade.
Following her arraignment in U.S. District Court in Providence, Shine was released on unsecured bond. The case is under investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island.