Jamaican National Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Operating Sweepstakes Scam

David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JIMMY SMITH, 31, a citizen of Jamaica residing in Hinesville, Georgia, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 46 months of imprisonment for operating a sweepstakes scam.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in a sweepstakes scam, scam participants contact victims by telephone and falsely inform them that they have won large sums of money. Victims are told that they need to pay fees or taxes to claim their winnings and they are instructed to send money through the mail to various addresses controlled by scam participants, or to various bank accounts through wires.

Smith and others defrauded at least four victims residing in Connecticut, New York, Texas, and California, by telling them they had won a Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes and needed to pay taxes or money to claim the prize. Smith recruited others to use their bank accounts to deposit money that had been mailed by scam victims. Smith's co-conspirators then withdrew cash and gave it to Smith, or sent Smith money using bank transfer applications.

For example, in July 2022, a Connecticut victim was contacted by telephone and told that she had won a $2.5 million sweepstakes prize and needed to pay taxes to claim her winnings. In August 2022, the victim mailed a $75,000 check paid to the order of Keshelski & K Transport to an address in Brooklyn, New York. The account was deposited into an account in the name of Keshelski&K Transports LLC, which was controlled by Keshelski Bates, a co-conspirator of Smith.

Smith also participated in a separate scheme that defrauded an Arkansas resident who believed he was paying for farm equipment.

Victims lost more than $2.6 million through these schemes.

Smith was arrested on March 17, 2025. On November 18, 2025, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud.

Smith, who is released on bond and is on electronic monitoring, must report to prison on August 24.

Bates pleaded guilty to the same charge and awaits sentencing.

This investigation has been conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with the assistance of Army CID, the Hinesville (Ga.) Police Department, and the Orlando (Fla.) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather M. Cherry.

U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the State's Attorney's Office for the Judicial District of Litchfield for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.