Jamaican man admits scamming elderly people in US
NEW JERSEY, United States (AP) — Federal prosecutors in New Jersey say a Jamaican man has admitted swindling elderly residents in the United States by falsely telling them they had won millions of dollars in Jamaican lotteries.
Ricardo Reid pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. He faces up to 20 years in prison when he’s sentenced February 27.
The 31-year-old Reid admitted that from 2011 to 2016, he bought mailing lists that contained the addresses and other information of elderly people.
Reid told his victims they had to pay registration fees and other costs and taxes before they could get their winnings. He also told them the calls were coming from “officials” of the United States, such as the IRS, or from lottery or bank officials.
