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Two menpleaded guilty on Thursday for plotting to commit wire fraud because of their role in a suspected fraudulent international sweepstakes.
Maurice Levy and Derrick Levy (51 and 54, respectively) have committed a series of sweepstakes scams across the United States, preying on older people and confusing victims, federal prosecutors claim. Did.
According to the Justice Department, the two men were both Jamaican citizens, used a Costa Rican call center and hid their location with a fake US call code.
"Maurice Levy and Derrick Levy also allowed to call individuals in the United States, many of whom are old and vulnerable, and individuals win prizes. However, we pay the fee before the prize is delivered. In fact, no such prize existed. "
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Located in Washington, April 1, 2022 Robert F. Kennedy Justice Department's courtyard. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)
"When the victim makes the first payment of the intended fee, Maurice Levi, Derrick Levi, and Their conspirators continued to call the victim, because there was a mistake, the victim actually won a large prize, or a problem occurred, and the victim claimed the prize. He falsely stated that he would have to pay an additional fee. " Continued. "Many victims have sent tens of thousands of dollars to Maurice Levy, Derrick Levy, and their conspirators in response to these calls."
Levy and Levy have been in eight years. He was accused of receiving about $ 10 million.
"Derrick Levy and Maurice Levy illegally obtained more than $ 9,400,000 from the victims during the plan, which will continue to operate the call center and in the personal interests of the conspirators. Was used for, "DOJ concluded.
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DOJ is a number of COVID-19 relief fund scams committed during the pandemic process. The
department has prioritized crackdown on COVID-19 fraud since March of, which appointed prosecutor Kevin Chammers as director of COVID-19 fraud execution. I have done it. The group's latest bust includes 21 individuals who have deceived Americans from $ 149 million and carried out counting plans. TheDOJ says.
Fraudster accusations are related to "false claims to federal programs and theft from federal-funded pandemic support programs."
