A federal court charged a Jamaican national for allegedly running a lottery scheme that defrauded more than $9.5 million from victims. Tavoy Farquharson, age 32, was charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud in the Eastern District of New York after a criminal complaint was filed in the District of Maryland, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office. The scheme reportedly operated between March and July 2023.
The investigation into Farquharson's activities was announced by a cadre of officials, including Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland. Damon E. Wood, the Postal Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Washington Division; HSI Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy; Javan Wilson, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Treasury Office of Inspector General; and Malik Aziz, Chief of the Prince George's County Police Department. According to documents, Farquharson and his accomplices allegedly called and mailed victims, convincing them of their newfound lottery winnings. The catch was that victims were told they must first pay taxes and other fees to collect their supposed fortune.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, victims were defrauded via various payment channels, including wire transfers, gift cards, and the U.S. Mail. The complaint mentions that Wayne and Dwayne Henry of Landover Hills, Maryland, and Jamaican national Nickoy Campbell have already been charged in connection with this scheme. Farquharson's crimes could land him a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the various agencies for their collaborative effort in cracking the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evelyn Lombardo Cusson and Christine Goo are assigned to prosecute the case. The Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office continues to rally against such fraud, providing resources and information to support the community against these crimes.
