The Supreme Court has ordered two men and a woman implicated in lottery scam operations to pay more than $5 million in what the Financial Investigations Division (FID) has described as “an emphatic legal victory” that demonstrates the judiciary’s unwavering stance on enforcing financial legislation.

The FID publicised the court order, made on March 7, 2024, in a news release on Thursday in which it named the trio as Keyfa Barrett, a 43-year-old auto body mechanic with no known legitimate source of income; his spouse, Davian Wilson, a waitress aged 39; and Kelson Barrett, Keyfa’s cousin, also aged 43 and a chef, similarly with no known legitimate source of income.

According to the FID, the Barretts and Wilson, who are all from Lucea, Hanover, were apprehended during a routine traffic check by police in February 2011 along Norman Manley Boulevard in Negril, Westmoreland.

“Kelson Barrett and Davian Wilson were passengers in a vehicle driven by Keyfa Barrett. A conspicuously placed large leather bag, overflowing with cash and visible to the officers, triggered further examination,” the FID said in the news release.

“Keyfa Barrett claimed ownership of the bag, but further discussions about the source of the cash revealed various inconsistencies which aroused the suspicion of the officers. This suspicion warranted formal interviews with the individuals at the Negril Police Station,” FID stated.

The law enforcement agency added that the information gathered from those interviews prompted the police to seize the cash “on reasonable suspicion of its ties to criminal activity” and subsequently engaged the FID to lead an extensive investigation into the financial activities of the trio.

“Thorough investigative processing resulted in the recovery of electronic devices and notebooks containing identity information and financial details consistent with lottery scamming. Further analysis uncovered that over a five-year span (2007–2011), the Barretts and Wilson received more than $26 million from 32 US citizens with whom they have no familial ties. The transactions were conducted through local remittance services and credit unions. These findings culminated in the conviction of all three for engaging in transactions involving criminal property [linked to lottery scamming and related fraudulent acts],” the FID said.

The court slapped Keyfa Barrett with a pecuniary penalty of $1,695,550, with $424,030 payable immediately and the balance to be paid in monthly instalments of $26,490 across four years. Non-compliance will result in the seizure and sale of his assets.

Meanwhile, Davian Wilson was mandated to pay a total of $970,000, starting with $250,000 immediately and the remainder in monthly instalments of $15,000 over four years. There are instructions to liquidate Wilson’s possessions to settle any unpaid amounts.

Also, Kelson Barrett was directed to pay $2,560,000 with an upfront payment of $1 million and the rest in monthly instalments of $32,500 also over four years.

“The Supreme Court’s rulings are a testament to the judiciary’s firm stance on enforcing financial legislation and its role of deterring similar offences in future. The FID is resolute in its dedication to combating financial crimes and recovering the proceeds of illicit conduct,” the release quotes the FID’s Principal Director of Investigations Keith Darien.

“The results underscore the efficacy of the collaborative efforts of local law enforcement, in this instance the Jamaica Constabulary Force, as well as the judiciary, and international allies. The FID, together with its associates, remains alert and committed to the prosecution of perpetrators of financial crimes, thereby upholding justice and preserving Jamaica’s financial integrity,” Darien said.