A 34-year-old Jamaican man has been sentenced to five years and six months in a United States (US) prison for his role in a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme that targeted elderly Americans.

Adrian Lawrence, otherwise known as “Mastermind” of a Kingston address, was sentenced on July 7 by US District Judge Joan Azrack after pleading guilty in December 2023 to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud.

In addition to the prison sentence, Lawrence, who was arrested in Jamaica and extradited to the United States, was ordered to pay US$5.4 million in restitution.

According to US prosecutors, Lawrence and his co-conspirators operated the scheme between October 2013 and April 2020, falsely telling victims they had won Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes. Victims were instructed to send money to cover supposed taxes and fees before their prizes could be released.

Authorities said at least 50 victims, with an average age of about 82, lost more than US$5.6 million.

“Today’s sentence punishes Lawrence for targeting dozens of vulnerable senior citizens, who were manipulated into believing they had won an official sweepstakes prize, in order to line his pockets with their hard-earned savings,” said United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella. “It will always be a priority of our office to aggressively investigate elder fraud and hold responsible those who shamefully exploit our seniors for personal gain.”

“May today’s sentencing highlight the FBI’s commitment to holding accountable those who exploit vulnerable Americans out of greed,” added James Barnacle Jr, assistant director in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office.