In early June, a Florida man was sentenced by to 48 months in prison for his participation in a lottery fraud scheme following an investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies to include Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), IRS - Criminal Investigation, FBI, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Sheldon Shaun Hibbert, 43, most recently of Orlando, Florida, previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering.
“This was a despicable scheme that preyed upon unsuspecting elderly people who thought they had won a lottery, said Scott Brown, special agent in charge for HSI Phoenix. “This defendant conscious allowed him launder money taken by a very vulnerable population for his financial gain, and for that he will pay a price.”
Hibbert participated in a scheme where scammers called elderly victims and falsely stated they had won a lottery. To receive their “winnings,” the victims were told they must first submit money for taxes and fees. Hibbert’s role in the scheme was to help launder the fraudulent proceeds to Jamaica on behalf of his co-conspirators. As part of his sentence, the court also ordered a forfeiture money judgment against Hibbert totaling $196,523. A restitution hearing has been scheduled for Aug. 5.
Financial Crimes and Public Corruption section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
Learn more about fraud in Arizona at @HSIPhoenix.
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of over 10,400 employees consists of more than 7,100 special agents assigned to 220 cities throughout the United States, and 80 overseas locations in 53 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.
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