A Jamaican resident, Dwayne Anderson, received a 63‑month U.S. federal sentence after a sweepstakes/lottery fraud stole about $181,000 from an elderly California victim. U.S. postal inspectors and international partners coordinated the investigation and prosecution.

Our Today reports that Dwayne Anderson, a Jamaica resident, was sentenced in a U.S. federal court to 63 months in prison for participating in a telephone, text and email lottery/sweepstakes fraud scheme that bilked an elderly California victim of approximately $181,000. Prosecutors said Anderson and co‑conspirators used false identities and repeated coercive contact to convince the victim to pay fabricated fees and taxes to claim nonexistent winnings. The case involved investigative cooperation among U.S. Postal Inspectors, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and Jamaican law enforcement, illustrating cross‑border investigative frameworks necessary to prosecute transnational fraud. Sentencing documents highlighted targeting of an older victim and use of persistent social‑engineering tactics to obtain multiple payments. The report also emphasizes restitution efforts and the role of international mutual legal assistance in bringing operators to justice. Officials urged public awareness about such schemes and reminded potential victims to verify unsolicited lottery claims independently and to report suspected fraud promptly to appropriate domestic and international authorities.