Sean P. Costello U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama
Four individuals were arrested in Foley, Alabama, on charges related to a lottery scam. The accused, all Jamaican nationals and current or former residents of Baldwin County, allegedly received over $200,000 from victims nationwide. The victims were falsely informed they had won a lottery and were instructed to send cash as "taxes" to addresses managed by the defendants.
The individuals arrested are Peter Walcott, Malik Chambers, Romario Nembhard, and Jermaine Smith. They face charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit these crimes. If convicted, they could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama and Special Agent in Charge Paul W. Brown of the FBI's Mobile Division.
The investigation is led by the FBI's Mobile Division with support from several agencies including the FBI Baltimore Division, United States Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Patrol, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Baldwin County Sheriff's Office, Mobile County Sheriff's Office, Foley Police Department, Gulf Shores Police Department, and Silverhill Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike Anderson and Kasee Heisterhagen are handling the prosecution for this case.
It is important to note that a criminal complaint is an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
