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In this episode of American Greed,
congratulations, you've won the lottery,
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it's going to cost you.
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These scammers are master's
manipulators.
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A lottery scam based in Jamaica is
stealing billions of dollars from
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unsuspecting Americans.
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Here's a check for a whopping $2 .5
million, sir. This is Jamaican Greed.
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This is what they do to make money. This
is their job.
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Scammers are spending money just as
quick as they make it.
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The government is taking the fight to
the criminals.
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But the damage is already done.
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This isn't a victimless crime and it's
not pilfering from rich people.
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I didn't really know what to do because
I'm thinking to myself, what if this was
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my grandfather or my grandmother?
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I thought, oh my God, you know.
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I couldn't believe it.
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October 2015.
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It's a carefree, sunny day in Fort
Lauderdale, Florida.
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But for Tammy Donaldson, this lazy
afternoon isn't time for fun.
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She has work to do.
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The swimsuit model and former Miss Maxim
has recently started her own makeup
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business.
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While making a trip to the post office,
she's stopped by a man in the parking
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lot. This elderly man, he was like, ma
'am, could you help me? He's like, oh,
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could you take my hand and help me
inside?
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After she walks him inside, Donaldson
says he makes an unusual request.
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He was like, you have to help me. Can
you get me the overnight envelope and
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information to fill out for an overnight
package?
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Tammy goes to retrieve an envelope.
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But as she walks across the lobby, a
postal worker tells her to come to the
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counter.
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I leave the guy, I go up there, and he
goes, don't help him.
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And I was like, why? The postal worker
tells Donaldson that he fears the man is
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being scammed because he's constantly
overnighting cash to random people.
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He advises Tammy that the best way she
can help is by stopping him from sending
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any more cash.
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So after he said that to me, I was like,
oh, now I definitely have to find out
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what he's doing. So I went back to him.
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The man had cash in a white envelope. It
was a lot. It was three grand.
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Donaldson asks the man whom the money is
for.
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He tells her he's sending it to
relatives in Missouri.
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And I was like, okay, but I looked at
the address that he had wrote, and the
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address said Fort Pierce, Florida.
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So I was like, that's odd.
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Before he can mail the envelope, the
man's phone rings.
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Tammy convinces him to let her answer
it.
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I said, who are you? And he said, I'm
his family.
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Right off, I knew they were Jamaican.
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Definitely Jamaican accent.
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He was an elderly white man, so I knew
that right there, they weren't family.
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Tammy hangs up on the caller.
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The old man says he wants to leave.
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He was so distraught and just so, like,
worried. He's like, I can't deal with
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this now. I'm going to have to go home.
I'm not doing this.
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As Donaldson walks him back to the
parking lot, the man admits that the
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isn't family. He just kept telling me,
don't worry, don't worry, I know what
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doing. He told me, I've been doing a
business deal with them for the past
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But Tammy realizes this is no ordinary
business deal.
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At that point, my heart sank, and I was
like, oh, my gosh, this man is, like,
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sending his life savings to these
people, you know, for the past year.
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$3 ,000 every couple weeks.
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That's a lot of money.
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Federal authorities say the man is
likely a victim of one of the biggest
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of the new millennium, the Jamaican
lottery scam.
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Claire Hochhalter is an assistant U .S.
attorney in Bismarck, North Dakota.
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He says hundreds of thousands of
Americans are suckered by this scheme
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year. Some people lose tens of thousands
of dollars and never report it to law
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enforcement. Some people lose hundreds
of thousands of dollars.
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Total losses could be up to a billion
dollars annually.
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Surprisingly, the scam is quite simple.
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Kahneman placed phone calls to lucky U
.S. residents and told them they won a
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sweepstakes. It's typically millions of
dollars, and oftentimes it includes a
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car.
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They use American Cash Rewards, they use
Publishers Clearinghouse, Winners
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International, Mega Millions.
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There's a number of different scams that
they run.
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Frank Gasper is an FBI special agent.
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This is a real phone conversation he has
with a scammer.
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My mom down in Florida said she got
caught, she won a lot of money.
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How much money did she win?
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Let me explain something to you, sir.
She won $2 .5 million in a cashier's
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check. She also won $185 ,000 in cash.
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She also won a brand new car.
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But nothing in life is ever free.
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Federal authorities say the prize comes
with a catch.
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They're told that in order to receive
it, they need to...
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pay a certain amount of fees, whether
it's listed as taxes or otherwise.
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They'll claim that stamp fees come up.
There's some sort of custom fee that
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needs to be done.
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Some other tax.
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Well, what happened? The company already
paid 99 % of her taxes already.
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Okay. So she's just...
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a coining fee to coin this package.
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If victims choose to pay the fee, it
could be the costliest mistake of their
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lives. If you have to send money in,
it's a scam. It's as easy as that.
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Next on American Green, we go inside the
criminal workings of the Jamaican
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lottery scam and examine its legitimate
origins.
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It's really taking a bad picture on the
community itself. So, you know, it
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really doesn't look good for us now.
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Basically turning most of these
communities into kind of home. The
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island
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of Jamaica is known for its beautiful
beaches, crystal clear waters,
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and laid -back lifestyle.
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It's a favorite vacation destination for
Americans who spend billions of dollars
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each year on the island.
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Two and a half million Americans come
through as tourists every year.
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It's a very, very tight connection that
we have with the Jamaicans. Luis Moreno
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is the United States ambassador to
Jamaica.
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Jamaica is a very small country, 2 .9
million.
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They have a million or so living in the
U .S. I always make the joke that
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Brooklyn is the third largest city in
Jamaica, and there's a bit of a truth in
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that. Despite its small size, Jamaica is
the third largest English -speaking
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country in the Western Hemisphere.
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The friendly nature of the Jamaican
people is one of the island's most
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resources.
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The very openness of the Jamaicans,
their personality, bright, sunny
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personality, that whole Caribbean lilt
that they have.
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but really, really wonderful people.
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In the 1990s, American corporations
recognized the country's untapped
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Numerous businesses, including airlines,
insurers, and credit card companies,
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established Jamaican call centers to
handle customer service duties.
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Many are located in the Montego Bay Free
Zone, an area designed to attract
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foreign investment.
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But shortly after their establishment,
Jamaican officials say some employees go
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rogue.
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Somewhere 10 to 15 years ago, persons
who perhaps had gained
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telemarketing skills figured out how to
use these skills illicitly.
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Peter Bunting is Jamaica's former
national security minister.
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He says the scheme has since outgrown
its call center origins.
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We've done a lot of work to protect,
secure, insulate call centers
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from the reach of scammers. But they
have now evolved.
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They train their own youngsters coming
up, typically recruit high school
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students.
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One of the most notable scammers in
recent years is Sanjay Williams.
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Williams lives in Montego Bay, but also
maintains ties in Charlotte, North
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Carolina. U .S. prosecutors say Williams
begins his career as a caller, but soon
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finds a more lucrative angle to the
scam.
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Sanjay Williams apparently didn't have
the skills to be as effective.
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phone scammer, so he went into the lead
list selling business.
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Lead lists, also known as sucker lists,
contain the names of Americans who are
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the easiest marks.
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Williams runs a website, gamblersleads
.com, where the feds say he sells lists
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to nearly 400 clients.
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Sanjay Williams was able to make
hundreds of thousands of dollars from
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of lead lists.
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They can range from pennies per name and
number up to over $5 per name and
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number. Lead lists are compiled in
different ways.
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Some are created legitimately.
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It's not illegal to collect
telemarketing data.
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It's not illegal to do that.
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Companies do that all the time in the
state.
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But that's often not efficient,
according to U .S. Postal Inspector
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Horn says savvy scammers like Sanjay
Williams use direct mail to create their
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sucker lists.
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The scammers may draft a letter and say,
if you want to enter into
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a lottery, the only thing you need to do
is send a payment of $19 .99 or
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whatever, and they fill out the bottom
part of this mailing, which is called a
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coupon. Most people recognize the
letters as junk mail.
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Others willingly write down their names,
address, phone numbers, and even credit
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card information, then mail back the
coupons.
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All the scammers need to do is sit back
and see who takes the bait.
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Whoever sent out the mailing knows that
they have an individual who is, one,
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willing to pay for an entry into a
lottery.
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Who is willing to give you personal
information on themselves that is a
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to these scammers?
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The feds say Sanjay Williams develops a
reputation for providing the freshest
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leads.
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If you have a list that is tailor -made
in the most opportunistic type
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names or the best chances of actually
scamming somebody, you're going to have
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more reward for your time spent.
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And you're going to have to work.
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much less to get more reward.
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Next on American Greed, cash dumped into
a woman's brassiere?
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How money gets from the U .S. to
Jamaica?
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I was very nervous, very nervous.
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Pulping is actually probably one of the
most nerve -wracking experiences of my
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life. And later, watch as Jamaican and U
.S. law enforcement take the fight
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directly to the scammers.
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2 ,000 miles northwest of Jamaica lie
the frozen hinterlands of North Dakota.
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To some, this is flyover country.
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A cadre of savvy Jamaican scammers knows
there's more here than meets the eye.
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To them, these cattle farms smell like
money.
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Edna Schmitz lives in the tiny city of
Harvey.
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Since 1958, her family has owned a small
farm just outside of town.
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Well, it was cattle and grain farming.
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And my husband also worked on the
railroad.
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My dad was gone a lot, so, yeah, she
took care of everything. She was out
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on the tractor, she was in the house,
she was cooking, she was cleaning.
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In 2010, Edna is widowed when her
husband passes away.
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We got married in 1949.
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So we were married like 61 years.
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The following year is difficult.
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I suppose she was lonely, you know,
depressed and missing dad.
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But one day in September of 2011, her
phone rings.
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The caller identifies himself as Newton
Bennett.
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and he has some of the best news she's
heard in a long time.
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He was calling me to tell me that I had
won
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a prize from American Cash Awards.
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00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:15,759
The friendly voice tells Edna that she
has won the unbelievable sum of $19
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million.
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I said, well, I don't remember anything
about a lottery.
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Well, he said it was a federal deal.
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You know?
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And it was perfectly legitimate.
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But before Schmitz can collect her
winnings, Newton Bennett tells her that
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must first take care of some taxes and
other administrative costs.
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She needs to wire $3 ,500 right away.
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At the time, it just didn't seem like
anything big.
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And it's not, compared to $19 million.
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I guess I just kind of thought, well,
maybe they need to just clear up
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to get this award or whatever.
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The news is like a ray of sunshine
peeking through the bleak Dakota winter.
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For Edna Schmitz, life is good once
again.
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00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:15,279
As she walks into her local bank to wire
the money, she can barely contain her
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secret. They said, don't tell anybody,
not even your kids, he said, because it
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could complicate the situation of trying
to get this cash prize out of there.
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Edna's $3 ,500 is sent to a Mr. Young in
Ohio.
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00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:34,500
But the $19 million never comes.
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A few days later, she gets another call
from Newton Bennett.
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He says there's a problem.
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Edna didn't send enough money to cover
the taxes.
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And I said, well, why can't they just
take the taxes out of the money?
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Well, the money is not yours until they
release it.
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And they won't release it until they get
the taxes.
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00:15:59,140 --> 00:16:02,680
Schmitz mails in another $20 ,000, but
it's still not enough.
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They just kept calling and kept calling.
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Over the next eight months, she sends
more money.
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00:16:08,220 --> 00:16:11,660
$20 ,000 here, $25 ,000 there.
228
00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:14,040
What's going on over there?
229
00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:15,340
Mr. Bennett, right?
230
00:16:15,700 --> 00:16:16,750
Okay.
231
00:16:17,860 --> 00:16:23,919
She ultimately cashes out two life
insurance policies totaling $279
232
00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:24,970
,000.
233
00:16:26,580 --> 00:16:30,159
It is almost like they've just taken
over their
234
00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:33,820
mind.
235
00:16:50,060 --> 00:16:56,639
Somehow they convinced her to do these
things that are just
236
00:16:56,640 --> 00:16:57,720
not even.
237
00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:01,420
Not even in her personality at all.
238
00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:05,180
The feds call the condition being under
the ether.
239
00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:12,399
Get them thinking and hoping and waiting
for that prize to the point
240
00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:15,140
where they would be willing to do almost
anything.
241
00:17:15,700 --> 00:17:18,660
Edna is frustrated when the prize money
never comes.
242
00:17:18,940 --> 00:17:23,420
But surprisingly, she's never angry when
she speaks to Newton Bennett.
243
00:17:23,819 --> 00:17:25,160
She was, um...
244
00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:32,519
A really friendly guy, and he was
always, you know, had asked me about,
245
00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:33,499
know, my family.
246
00:17:33,500 --> 00:17:35,550
He just wanted to know how you were
doing.
247
00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:37,920
Edna's experience is not unique.
248
00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:42,700
As the feds say, many victims develop
friendships with the callers.
249
00:17:43,260 --> 00:17:49,119
They're anxious for some sort of
contact, human contact, someone who
250
00:17:49,120 --> 00:17:54,599
least alleges that they care. I have
talked to several victims that tell me
251
00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:55,650
they want to pay.
252
00:17:56,060 --> 00:18:00,079
They will pay and have paid and are
going to continue to pay just to be able
253
00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:03,390
receive the phone calls during the day
because they are so lonely.
254
00:18:03,900 --> 00:18:08,300
Federal prosecutors say Mr. Bennett's
lies even extend to his name.
255
00:18:09,020 --> 00:18:14,459
They say Newton Bennett is actually
Laverick Willocks, a Montego Bay man who
256
00:18:14,460 --> 00:18:17,580
allegedly purchased Edna's name on a
lead list.
257
00:18:18,380 --> 00:18:21,940
Laverick Willocks was buying lists from
Sanjay Williams.
258
00:18:22,670 --> 00:18:27,249
Federal prosecutors say Willocks has an
extensive ring of associates that helps
259
00:18:27,250 --> 00:18:29,690
him move money from the U .S. to
Jamaica.
260
00:18:30,590 --> 00:18:32,590
It went a variety of ways.
261
00:18:32,810 --> 00:18:36,809
There were wire transfers from bank
accounts. In some cases, it would be
262
00:18:36,810 --> 00:18:41,249
MoneyGram or Western Union. There were
other situations where currency itself
263
00:18:41,250 --> 00:18:44,790
would be mailed. And sometimes the money
flies coach.
264
00:18:46,110 --> 00:18:49,410
In 2013, a woman who we'll call Rita...
265
00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:54,160
says she's roped into the scam after
getting a call from an old friend.
266
00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:59,399
I was contacted by an acquaintance that
I hadn't seen in years, and she didn't
267
00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:03,079
describe exactly what was going on, but
she had owed me some money from the
268
00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:07,000
past, and said she felt that it was time
to pay me back.
269
00:19:07,540 --> 00:19:10,620
Rita's friend is a relative of Lavrick
Willock's.
270
00:19:10,860 --> 00:19:16,199
She says her family in Jamaica needs
money, and she wants Rita to bring them
271
00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:17,840
,000 in cash.
272
00:19:18,570 --> 00:19:21,010
She said she was sick and that she
couldn't go.
273
00:19:21,210 --> 00:19:25,810
She asked if I would carry it to her,
and she didn't trust anyone else.
274
00:19:26,210 --> 00:19:29,710
Rita is told she can keep $2 ,000 for
herself.
275
00:19:30,090 --> 00:19:34,709
But when her friend tells her how she'll
be carrying the money, Rita says she
276
00:19:34,710 --> 00:19:35,760
has second thoughts.
277
00:19:36,210 --> 00:19:41,229
It would have to be in a bra that's
heavily padded, and it would have to be
278
00:19:41,230 --> 00:19:43,130
under my bra.
279
00:19:43,910 --> 00:19:48,669
And in a place where with TSA patting
you down, you wouldn't feel it to the
280
00:19:48,670 --> 00:19:53,129
touch because of the patting. I was
nervous and I didn't want to do it.
281
00:19:53,130 --> 00:19:58,089
several hours of coaxing, Rita
eventually boards a plane and smuggles
282
00:19:58,090 --> 00:19:59,140
into Jamaica.
283
00:19:59,530 --> 00:20:01,790
I was very nervous, very nervous.
284
00:20:01,791 --> 00:20:04,789
The whole thing was actually probably
one of the most nerve -wracking
285
00:20:04,790 --> 00:20:07,500
experiences of my life to the point of
being nauseous.
286
00:20:07,730 --> 00:20:11,070
Rita is relieved when she finally makes
it to the family home.
287
00:20:11,699 --> 00:20:15,220
She delivers the cash directly to
Laverick Willocks.
288
00:20:15,221 --> 00:20:17,959
It seemed like that right out of a hip
-hop video.
289
00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:19,720
You know, with clothes and hair.
290
00:20:19,721 --> 00:20:22,799
And I didn't think they were going to be
a terrible person, though.
291
00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:25,330
And he seemed like a happy kid. He was
happy to see me.
292
00:20:27,460 --> 00:20:29,280
Very generous.
293
00:20:29,620 --> 00:20:33,050
You know, wanted to run away with
anything I needed. I'll take care of
294
00:20:33,980 --> 00:20:37,580
Next on American Greed, they say a man's
home is his castle.
295
00:20:38,190 --> 00:20:41,590
and Jamaican scammers have some of the
nicest castles around.
296
00:20:42,150 --> 00:20:48,989
You notice there are regular houses, but
then among these regular
297
00:20:48,990 --> 00:20:55,110
houses, we have some mansion. This guy
has, like, cameras all around.
298
00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:10,420
It's a typical Wednesday morning in
Montego Bay.
299
00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:16,459
The sun is shining, the tourists are
frolicking, and the anti -lottery police
300
00:21:16,460 --> 00:21:17,940
are readying their weapons.
301
00:21:19,320 --> 00:21:24,340
It may seem drastic, but lottery scams
are damaging Jamaica's image.
302
00:21:31,660 --> 00:21:36,879
And for a country that relies so heavily
on tourism dollars, Image is
303
00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:41,419
everything. It's extremely embarrassing
for me. I think it's embarrassing for
304
00:21:41,420 --> 00:21:46,360
the government. It's embarrassing for
most well -thinking Jamaicans.
305
00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:52,479
Since 2009, Jamaican police and U .S.
federal agents have partnered on an anti
306
00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:53,740
-lottery task force.
307
00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:59,799
Jim Stitzel is the Department of
Homeland Security's Jamaican attache. We
308
00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:00,880
to work collectively.
309
00:22:00,881 --> 00:22:03,119
It's the only way we're going to be able
to get these criminals because
310
00:22:03,120 --> 00:22:08,789
they're... constantly adapting and
changing the way that they go after the
311
00:22:08,790 --> 00:22:15,749
victims of the United States. Once
again, we are called upon to carry out a
312
00:22:15,750 --> 00:22:22,189
crucial role. The information that we
have relates to electric
313
00:22:22,190 --> 00:22:24,090
camels in two communities.
314
00:22:25,320 --> 00:22:30,299
Kevin Watson is a sergeant with the
Major Organized Crime and Anti
315
00:22:30,300 --> 00:22:32,720
Agency, also known as MOCA.
316
00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:39,859
Lottery scamming has become as lucrative
as the illegal drug trade, if not more
317
00:22:39,860 --> 00:22:40,910
lucrative.
318
00:22:41,780 --> 00:22:46,460
According to Sergeant Watson, scammers'
homes are often easy to spot.
319
00:22:47,390 --> 00:22:53,230
This is a normal neighborhood with
houses owned by middle -income earners.
320
00:22:53,270 --> 00:22:58,310
However, among these normal houses, we
have a mansion.
321
00:22:58,710 --> 00:23:05,489
We know for a fact that this house was
built with proceeds from
322
00:23:05,490 --> 00:23:06,750
lottery scam activities.
323
00:23:07,370 --> 00:23:13,090
Proceeds from hard -working victims in
the United States. Exactly. This guy
324
00:23:13,170 --> 00:23:14,220
like...
325
00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:19,659
Camera is all our own. There we have a
whole camera there. You can see us from
326
00:23:19,660 --> 00:23:21,700
more than a mile coming.
327
00:23:22,260 --> 00:23:27,239
Watson says some scammers view their
work as retribution against wealthy
328
00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:29,100
countries like the United States.
329
00:23:30,160 --> 00:23:36,759
In 2012, the Jamaican dancehall artist
Vibes Cartel even has a hit song about
330
00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:39,060
the lotteries called Reparations.
331
00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:41,880
This fan -made video says it all.
332
00:23:56,080 --> 00:24:03,019
I think a lot of Jamaicans know the
Vibes Cartel song that
333
00:24:03,020 --> 00:24:04,070
was done.
334
00:24:04,380 --> 00:24:08,500
And a lot of cameras, this is their way
of...
335
00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:11,040
of justifying the activity.
336
00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:17,119
Sergeant Watson says the crime has
become so popular that kids are
337
00:24:17,120 --> 00:24:23,159
scammers. They live large, drive fancy
cars, and put on outrageous displays of
338
00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:28,079
wealth. Some of these lottery scammers,
they earn so much money that they had
339
00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:32,899
parties and they buy expensive champagne
and use the champagne to wash their
340
00:24:32,900 --> 00:24:33,919
cars.
341
00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:38,819
On one of her trips to Jamaica, Rita
says Labrick Willocks is treated like a
342
00:24:38,820 --> 00:24:40,060
in the clubs.
343
00:24:40,580 --> 00:24:41,630
Rock star.
344
00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:46,139
He's a baller. Like if you're out with
an NBA player or a celebrity, everyone's
345
00:24:46,140 --> 00:24:48,360
coming over to shake hands and say
hello.
346
00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:53,359
They had their big table, a bunch of
women hanging around, you know. They
347
00:24:53,360 --> 00:24:55,319
definitely the guys you wanted to be
around.
348
00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:57,200
But the money comes with a price.
349
00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:02,499
Over the past decade, Jamaican officials
estimate more than 1 ,000 murders in
350
00:25:02,500 --> 00:25:04,680
the country are lottery -related.
351
00:25:05,380 --> 00:25:11,999
We've seen disagreements among scammers,
you know, people stealing each other's
352
00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:15,180
lead lists, and it leads to violence and
death.
353
00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:22,259
On this day, the anti -lottery task
force is targeting a scammer who lives
354
00:25:22,260 --> 00:25:24,020
the hills outside of Montego Bay.
355
00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:26,620
We're heading to a community that is...
356
00:25:27,020 --> 00:25:29,200
plague with lottery scamming activities.
357
00:25:29,700 --> 00:25:36,519
We are not sure of the risk and so we're
going to be treating this as
358
00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:39,220
being very volatile.
359
00:25:39,740 --> 00:25:42,680
The target is well known to task force
officer.
360
00:25:43,900 --> 00:25:47,940
Just last year, his house was the scene
of two murders.
361
00:25:47,941 --> 00:25:52,539
Well, his brother -in -law was shot and
killed there and his brother was shot
362
00:25:52,540 --> 00:25:56,480
and killed on the playground over there
for the same lottery scamming.
363
00:25:58,290 --> 00:25:59,730
Officers approach the house.
364
00:26:05,310 --> 00:26:07,630
The man is alone and caught off guard.
365
00:26:24,270 --> 00:26:26,510
Task force officers search the house.
366
00:26:30,490 --> 00:26:31,930
The home is nice.
367
00:26:32,230 --> 00:26:33,850
Too nice for this neighborhood.
368
00:26:34,510 --> 00:26:41,169
The size of the house is definitely an
indication that this person is
369
00:26:41,170 --> 00:26:44,470
involved in law enforcement.
370
00:26:44,670 --> 00:26:48,110
The decor, the tiles, and so on.
371
00:26:48,450 --> 00:26:51,070
Officers find a thumb drive and a
laptop.
372
00:26:51,790 --> 00:26:53,810
But the man's computer isn't working.
373
00:26:55,641 --> 00:26:57,249
The
374
00:26:57,250 --> 00:27:04,369
raid
375
00:27:04,370 --> 00:27:08,010
won't be a success unless officers can
find something on the computer.
376
00:27:08,890 --> 00:27:13,250
They detain the man, confiscate his
laptop, and prepare to leave.
377
00:27:13,530 --> 00:27:18,149
But before they do, they sweep the house
next door, where the man's sister
378
00:27:18,150 --> 00:27:19,200
lives.
379
00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:43,079
Officers finally find what they're
looking for. The woman's laptop contains
380
00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:45,340
file with hundreds of names and
addresses.
381
00:27:50,860 --> 00:27:56,840
but telephone numbers and addresses of
persons who died in the United States.
382
00:27:57,460 --> 00:28:03,060
Do you have any reason to have these
persons in commission in your position?
383
00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:04,610
No, I don't.
384
00:28:05,060 --> 00:28:11,179
Officers also find falsified bank
documents, including a fake check for $3
385
00:28:11,180 --> 00:28:14,420
million. We noticed some files here.
386
00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:19,819
Bank of America, there's a folder called
Bank of America. Do you have a Bank of
387
00:28:19,820 --> 00:28:20,940
America account?
388
00:28:21,420 --> 00:28:26,400
No. Do you have any relation at all with
Bank of America?
389
00:28:26,740 --> 00:28:28,120
No. Okay.
390
00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:34,000
So let me ask you now, are you involved
in law enforcement?
391
00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:39,219
If you are involved and you have
received money from anyone overseas, we
392
00:28:39,220 --> 00:28:40,270
going to find out.
393
00:28:40,660 --> 00:28:42,940
I want you to be honest with me, right?
394
00:28:45,010 --> 00:28:49,650
Well, being honest with you, I can't. I
never do it, but I'm not involved in it.
395
00:28:49,930 --> 00:28:53,810
The woman is a single mother to four
young children.
396
00:28:54,070 --> 00:28:56,830
She could face up to four years in
prison.
397
00:28:57,110 --> 00:29:00,250
It is sad, and it is not only that.
398
00:29:02,750 --> 00:29:07,250
United States residents are made victims
of these activities.
399
00:29:07,470 --> 00:29:10,290
But we have victims right here in
Jamaica, you know.
400
00:29:10,590 --> 00:29:14,590
Children are being made victims because
of these activities, you know.
401
00:29:14,870 --> 00:29:17,450
And so lottery scamming is really a
monster.
402
00:29:18,470 --> 00:29:23,690
Next on American Greed, lottery scammers
push American victims to the brink.
403
00:29:24,010 --> 00:29:29,909
One family that was threatened, if they
didn't continue to pay, that they
404
00:29:29,910 --> 00:29:30,960
would...
405
00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:36,520
They would show up at their house, rape
their adult daughter, kill the family.
406
00:29:36,860 --> 00:29:40,340
Are you or a loved one a victim of
lottery scammers?
407
00:29:40,780 --> 00:29:47,479
If so, call the Department of Homeland
Security's tip line at 1 -866 -DHS -2
408
00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:48,530
-ICE.
409
00:29:49,700 --> 00:29:51,720
Want inside information from the show?
410
00:29:52,360 --> 00:29:54,220
Join the Greed Social Network.
411
00:29:55,220 --> 00:29:57,760
Like us on American Greed's Facebook
page.
412
00:29:58,160 --> 00:29:59,260
We'll be right back.
413
00:30:11,790 --> 00:30:16,290
Back in North Dakota, Steve Little
browses through some books in his
414
00:30:16,710 --> 00:30:19,750
They're written by his older brother,
Michael.
415
00:30:19,990 --> 00:30:21,610
He liked writing. I was surprised.
416
00:30:21,950 --> 00:30:23,630
I didn't know he had that.
417
00:30:23,890 --> 00:30:28,569
A former engineer and Vietnam veteran,
Michael only begins writing after
418
00:30:28,570 --> 00:30:30,770
suffering a stroke in 2004.
419
00:30:31,650 --> 00:30:35,930
The first book was Strange and Mere
about his stroke recovery.
420
00:30:36,310 --> 00:30:39,970
The writing is done mostly for fun and
to keep occupied.
421
00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:43,360
Michael lives alone in a mobile home in
Bismarck.
422
00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:46,440
Social security is his only source of
income.
423
00:30:46,800 --> 00:30:53,619
In total fixed income, he never did
recoup what it actually cost him to
424
00:30:53,620 --> 00:30:54,639
write the books.
425
00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:56,220
In September 2015,
426
00:30:56,920 --> 00:31:00,940
Steve Little is shocked when he gets an
unexpected phone call from his brother.
427
00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:03,060
Michael is in jail.
428
00:31:03,400 --> 00:31:06,580
He's accused of collaborating with
lottery scammers.
429
00:31:07,340 --> 00:31:10,080
Well, he was acting as a mule for the
guy in Jamaica.
430
00:31:10,740 --> 00:31:17,419
He took a taxi to some other lady's
house, collected money from her, and
431
00:31:17,420 --> 00:31:18,620
sent it off to Jamaica.
432
00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:23,719
Over the past few months, Steve says his
brother's mental state has been
433
00:31:23,720 --> 00:31:28,260
declining. He says Michael is confused
when he's sprung from jail.
434
00:31:28,261 --> 00:31:32,879
He didn't remember any lady. He didn't
remember where the money came from. He
435
00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:34,440
thought he'd been in a hospital.
436
00:31:35,360 --> 00:31:37,040
Worst hospital he'd ever been in.
437
00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:41,520
Steve looks into his brother's finances
and can't believe what he finds.
438
00:31:41,940 --> 00:31:46,459
Michael hasn't paid any bills in months,
and he's been sending his Social
439
00:31:46,460 --> 00:31:49,300
Security checks directly to Jamaica.
440
00:31:50,860 --> 00:31:57,480
Mike would withdraw everything in his
account, wire it off to Jamaica,
441
00:31:57,620 --> 00:32:02,540
and then go back to the bank and wonder
who had rifled his account.
442
00:32:03,450 --> 00:32:07,970
Steve estimates his brother sends over
$10 ,000 to scammers.
443
00:32:08,370 --> 00:32:13,030
A month after the arrest, the brothers
make plans to do some grocery shopping.
444
00:32:13,350 --> 00:32:17,270
Steve calls Michael's house to let him
know when he's on his way.
445
00:32:18,130 --> 00:32:21,750
Well, there's no answer. Yeah, not a
good sign.
446
00:32:22,770 --> 00:32:23,820
Called him again.
447
00:32:24,110 --> 00:32:25,160
No answer.
448
00:32:25,610 --> 00:32:26,790
This is not good.
449
00:32:27,070 --> 00:32:31,509
When Steve arrives at the house, the
lights are off, but the front door is
450
00:32:31,510 --> 00:32:32,560
unlocked.
451
00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:39,559
I went in and he was sitting in a chair
452
00:32:39,560 --> 00:32:45,219
right by the front door in the entryway,
gun on the floor
453
00:32:45,220 --> 00:32:51,900
between his legs and, you know,
454
00:32:51,940 --> 00:32:57,000
slumped forward and blood and brains and
stuff against the wall.
455
00:32:57,300 --> 00:32:59,880
Michael Little was 68 years old.
456
00:33:01,580 --> 00:33:04,500
If I have a bone to pick with these
guys, that's it.
457
00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:11,500
They created hope where it didn't really
exist, the illusion of hope.
458
00:33:12,380 --> 00:33:15,600
And then they took it away.
459
00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:20,080
I'm convinced that he took his life
because he lost hope.
460
00:33:20,820 --> 00:33:24,020
Michael Little isn't the only casualty
of the scam.
461
00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:27,820
In Texas, prosecutors say a woman hangs
herself.
462
00:33:28,460 --> 00:33:31,650
after losing thousands of dollars to
Leverett Willock's crew.
463
00:33:31,760 --> 00:33:36,299
Other victims are afraid to leave their
homes, as scammers threaten them with
464
00:33:36,300 --> 00:33:37,350
physical violence.
465
00:33:37,820 --> 00:33:42,299
Instead of talking about the prize that
you're going to win, if you don't keep
466
00:33:42,300 --> 00:33:46,620
sending the money, I'm going to rape
your daughters, kill your son.
467
00:33:47,280 --> 00:33:51,620
In Harvey, North Dakota, Edna Schmitz's
situation is getting worse.
468
00:33:52,460 --> 00:33:56,980
Over the past year, she's sent hundreds
of thousands of dollars to Willock's.
469
00:33:57,450 --> 00:34:01,270
But she still needs to send one last
payment of $5 ,000.
470
00:34:02,730 --> 00:34:09,589
I had absolutely gotten rid
471
00:34:09,590 --> 00:34:10,770
of everything.
472
00:34:11,530 --> 00:34:13,650
I mean, literally everything.
473
00:34:13,909 --> 00:34:20,469
My CD, my Roth IRAs, my farm rent.
474
00:34:20,830 --> 00:34:26,149
The last source of income she can think
of is the two tractors on the family
475
00:34:26,150 --> 00:34:28,989
farm. They're worth about $14 ,000 each.
476
00:34:30,090 --> 00:34:33,929
She heads down to her local bank to see
how much money she can get.
477
00:34:34,810 --> 00:34:39,189
Well, then when I went in to try and
borrow this money on the tractors, then
478
00:34:39,190 --> 00:34:44,969
they discovered that there was already a
loan on those tractors.
479
00:34:47,489 --> 00:34:49,370
So I didn't get that loan.
480
00:34:51,389 --> 00:34:54,989
Fortunately for the Schmitz family,
Harvey is a small town.
481
00:34:55,659 --> 00:34:59,580
The loan officer at the bank alerts
Edna's son, Jeff.
482
00:34:59,581 --> 00:35:01,499
He actually gave me the paperwork.
483
00:35:01,500 --> 00:35:04,030
He says, here, I just got to show you
this, you know.
484
00:35:04,240 --> 00:35:06,140
And I was just shocked.
485
00:35:06,460 --> 00:35:10,720
If they lost the tractors, Jeff says the
family farm would be doomed.
486
00:35:11,240 --> 00:35:15,119
I couldn't afford to buy tractors and
equipment. It's so expensive now, you
487
00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:17,740
know. And there's not much profit being
made.
488
00:35:18,120 --> 00:35:19,720
So I've been out of business.
489
00:35:20,280 --> 00:35:22,760
Jeff and his sister Lisa confront their
mother.
490
00:35:23,240 --> 00:35:24,760
They come right over here then.
491
00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:29,099
And she was very hesitant to say
anything about it. She kind of didn't
492
00:35:29,100 --> 00:35:34,400
she should really tell me. I said, Mom,
this is not real.
493
00:35:34,760 --> 00:35:37,360
It's a scam. I said, it is.
494
00:35:38,280 --> 00:35:44,559
But, of course, you know, she had gotten
in so far already that
495
00:35:44,560 --> 00:35:48,140
she didn't want to believe it wasn't
real.
496
00:35:49,460 --> 00:35:53,840
Next on American Greed, the feds drop
the hammer on the scammers.
497
00:35:55,260 --> 00:35:57,900
and take a new angle in the ongoing
fight.
498
00:35:59,631 --> 00:36:01,339
In
499
00:36:01,340 --> 00:36:19,759
June
500
00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:20,810
2012,
501
00:36:21,390 --> 00:36:26,149
Edna Schmitz finally stopped sending
money to Jamaican scammers, but only
502
00:36:26,150 --> 00:36:27,650
her children intervened.
503
00:36:28,110 --> 00:36:31,230
She's lost nearly $400 ,000.
504
00:36:32,130 --> 00:36:34,670
What in the hell was I thinking?
505
00:36:35,550 --> 00:36:42,549
I wasn't thinking. I can't even believe
it. I mean, would you actually be that
506
00:36:42,550 --> 00:36:49,209
stupid? They convinced her to do these
things that are just
507
00:36:49,210 --> 00:36:50,270
not even.
508
00:36:51,350 --> 00:36:54,010
Not even in her personality at all.
509
00:36:54,350 --> 00:36:59,390
You know, wire transfers. And I remember
one for $57 ,000.
510
00:36:59,790 --> 00:37:05,329
And I thought, oh my God, my mother
would never, never in a million years
511
00:37:05,330 --> 00:37:09,010
she write out a check for $57 ,000.
512
00:37:09,610 --> 00:37:13,450
The family informs the federal
authorities, who open an investigation.
513
00:37:14,090 --> 00:37:17,770
Fortunately for the FBI, the scammers
are still calling Edna.
514
00:37:18,230 --> 00:37:20,650
The FBI records her phone conversations.
515
00:37:21,330 --> 00:37:25,490
So what happened about the check? Did
they get the check clear?
516
00:37:25,910 --> 00:37:28,350
No. That's a $5 ,000? Yeah.
517
00:37:28,670 --> 00:37:30,970
I don't know what we're going to do now.
518
00:37:31,670 --> 00:37:36,590
Using Edna's case as a starting point,
the feds expand the investigation.
519
00:37:37,050 --> 00:37:40,720
And that led to all the information, all
the people we were able to arrest.
520
00:37:40,721 --> 00:37:43,199
Other information we were able to
gather.
521
00:37:43,200 --> 00:37:45,719
That's how they were able to identify
the victims.
522
00:37:45,720 --> 00:37:48,160
They found victims all over the United
States.
523
00:37:48,600 --> 00:37:53,239
Their digging eventually leads them to
Leverick Willocks and the man who
524
00:37:53,240 --> 00:37:55,520
the lead lists, Sanjay Williams.
525
00:37:56,580 --> 00:37:59,400
I don't know how many lists he bought
from Sanjay.
526
00:37:59,900 --> 00:38:05,400
I think the investigation showed about
$40 ,000 worth of lists.
527
00:38:05,720 --> 00:38:10,279
And bear in mind that Leverick Willocks
is just one of hundreds of Sanjay's
528
00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:15,799
customers. The Department of Justice
says victim losses to the men are at
529
00:38:15,800 --> 00:38:17,620
$5 .5 million.
530
00:38:18,740 --> 00:38:24,299
Edna is one of 80 -plus victims or more.
We have victims who lost a few hundred
531
00:38:24,300 --> 00:38:30,860
or a few thousand dollars. We had one
that lost $850 ,000 that we know of.
532
00:38:31,360 --> 00:38:36,259
In June 2013, Sanjay Williams is
arrested when he makes a trip to North
533
00:38:36,260 --> 00:38:40,520
Carolina. Two years later, he's put on
trial in North Dakota.
534
00:38:41,160 --> 00:38:43,740
Edna Schmitz testifies in the case.
535
00:38:44,160 --> 00:38:48,459
People were amazed at the heroism of the
people who came forward, who were
536
00:38:48,460 --> 00:38:51,820
willing to talk about the fact that they
were victims in this.
537
00:38:52,120 --> 00:38:58,920
And my mother, you know, is just this
little farm lady, and she's, you know,
538
00:38:58,960 --> 00:39:00,360
taking down these people.
539
00:39:01,160 --> 00:39:06,319
After a week -long trial, Sanjay
Williams is found guilty of conspiracy,
540
00:39:06,320 --> 00:39:07,760
fraud, and money laundering.
541
00:39:08,240 --> 00:39:13,419
He's currently chilling in a federal
prison in New Jersey, serving a 20 -year
542
00:39:13,420 --> 00:39:14,470
sentence.
543
00:39:15,940 --> 00:39:20,800
He's the first lead list seller
successfully tried in the United States.
544
00:39:21,140 --> 00:39:22,580
Hopefully not the last.
545
00:39:22,960 --> 00:39:27,619
Federal prosecutors in Bismarck indict
more than 30 people connected to the
546
00:39:27,620 --> 00:39:33,539
scam. Eleven are arrested and take plea
deals, including Rita, the woman who
547
00:39:33,540 --> 00:39:34,740
smuggled cash in her bra.
548
00:39:35,560 --> 00:39:37,140
She's awaiting sentencing.
549
00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:38,410
I made a mistake.
550
00:39:38,760 --> 00:39:39,980
I made a huge mistake.
551
00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:44,420
To this day, Rita insists she didn't
know she was helping a lottery scam.
552
00:39:44,840 --> 00:39:50,819
Now knowing the details of who was
harmed in this is probably the biggest
553
00:39:50,820 --> 00:39:53,719
in my life. It just makes me emotional
every time I think about it.
554
00:39:53,720 --> 00:39:58,569
As for Leverick Willocks... He is
officially charged with mail fraud, wire
555
00:39:58,570 --> 00:40:02,410
fraud, and conspiracy to commit
international money laundering.
556
00:40:02,850 --> 00:40:07,749
U .S. officials are working to have him
and other members of his crew arrested
557
00:40:07,750 --> 00:40:08,950
and extradited.
558
00:40:09,270 --> 00:40:11,050
But it's a complicated process.
559
00:40:12,110 --> 00:40:17,309
We are taking all the steps that we can,
using the tools available to see that
560
00:40:17,310 --> 00:40:19,490
those people were not in the United
States.
561
00:40:19,850 --> 00:40:22,080
are in fact brought to justice at some
point.
562
00:40:22,630 --> 00:40:26,929
Extraditions, you know, take time
because of all the legal hurdles that
563
00:40:26,930 --> 00:40:27,769
to overcome.
564
00:40:27,770 --> 00:40:31,909
But we are crossing those T's and
dotting those I's to try to get as many
565
00:40:31,910 --> 00:40:33,050
extraditions as we can.
566
00:40:33,250 --> 00:40:35,070
In February 2015,
567
00:40:35,830 --> 00:40:41,109
the U .S. successfully extradites their
first Jamaican lottery scammer, a man
568
00:40:41,110 --> 00:40:43,750
unrelated to the Lambert Willocks group.
569
00:40:45,050 --> 00:40:48,590
Jamaican officials say they hope to
assist with several more.
570
00:40:48,970 --> 00:40:55,909
We have actually encouraged our U .S.
law
571
00:40:55,910 --> 00:41:02,009
enforcement agencies to go for
extradition, and we're working on a
572
00:41:02,010 --> 00:41:03,970
a pipeline of possible extradition.
573
00:41:04,250 --> 00:41:09,309
In addition to increased law
enforcement, the Jamaican government has
574
00:41:09,310 --> 00:41:10,950
public education campaign.
575
00:41:11,500 --> 00:41:17,919
MOCA officers regularly speak to kids in
schools, while radio and TV PSAs fill
576
00:41:17,920 --> 00:41:18,970
the airwaves.
577
00:41:20,951 --> 00:41:22,679
I
578
00:41:22,680 --> 00:41:31,479
think
579
00:41:31,480 --> 00:41:36,180
you have to take a multi -pronged
approach to combating it. We have to...
580
00:41:37,580 --> 00:41:41,859
Emphasize that this is not a victimless
crime, that it is, in fact, a very cruel
581
00:41:41,860 --> 00:41:47,859
crime. Connect to them, would you like
your grandmother or your grandfather to
582
00:41:47,860 --> 00:41:49,220
be the victim?
583
00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:53,100
Education is also important on the U .S.
side of the issue.
584
00:41:53,300 --> 00:41:59,379
Federal agents say they can't stop the
scam until American citizens stop
585
00:41:59,380 --> 00:42:00,430
for it.
586
00:42:00,830 --> 00:42:03,890
It's not something that law enforcement
alone can stop.
587
00:42:04,170 --> 00:42:07,240
It's going to take a joint effort. It's
going to take citizens.
588
00:42:07,450 --> 00:42:09,010
It's going to take governments.
589
00:42:09,011 --> 00:42:12,109
Have you tried to talk to your elderly
loved ones or your parents about their
590
00:42:12,110 --> 00:42:16,669
finances? It's not easy. Have that tough
financial conversation because it's
591
00:42:16,670 --> 00:42:20,149
better to have it and have a small dust
up now than have it when they've lost
592
00:42:20,150 --> 00:42:22,740
their life savings. And I've seen it. I
just feel like.
593
00:42:23,410 --> 00:42:27,949
America needs to know what's going on.
Elderly people need to know what's going
594
00:42:27,950 --> 00:42:30,850
on. Educate your grandparents.
595
00:42:31,290 --> 00:42:35,430
This needs to be put out there so more
people know about it.
596
00:42:35,480 --> 00:42:40,030
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