Jamaican National Indicted For An Alleged Lottery Scheme That Defrauded Victims Of More Than $9.5 Million

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland

Baltimore, Maryland – Today Nickoy Campbell, age 29, of Jamaica, had an initial appearance on a superseding indictment for conspiracy to commit mail fraud in connection with a lottery scheme.

The second superseding indictment was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

According to the indictment, from October 2020 until February 2024, the defendants and their co-conspirators contacted the victims by mail or over the phone and convinced them that they had won millions of dollars in a lottery or sweepstakes but were required to send payment in advance for taxes and other fees before they could receive their winnings.  The defendants and other conspirators caused the victims to send payments for the purported taxes and other fees through wire transfer, by gift card, by sending cash and by other payment methods.  According to the indictment, as a result of the scheme, the victims sent at least $9.5 million to the defendants and other conspirators.

Wayne Henry and Dwayne Henry of Landover Hills, Maryland were charged previously with conspiracy to commit mail fraud as part of the same lottery scheme. 

If convicted, Campbell faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the mail fraud conspiracy.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.  At today’s initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles D. Austin ordered that Campbell be detained. 

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcements efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults.  If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).  This Department of Justice Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying next steps, including identifying appropriate reporting agencies, providing information to callers to assist them in reporting or connecting them with agencies, and providing resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis.  The hotline is staffed from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.  English, Spanish, and other languages are available.  More information about the Department’s elder justice efforts can be found on the Department’s Elder Justice website, www.elderjustice.gov.  Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at this website or by calling 1-800-225-5324. 

U.S. Attorney Barron commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, HSI, United States Department of the Treasury, Office of Inspector General and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General for their work in the investigation and thanked the Maryland State Police, Baltimore County Police, and Anne Arundel County Police for their assistance.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evelyn Lombardo Cusson and Christine Goo, who are prosecuting the federal case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help seniors, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/elder-justice-initiative.