Federal prosecutors say a 31-year-old Jamaican citizen is now dealing with critical prices in Connecticut over what they describe as a yearslong sweepstakes rip-off that drained tens of millions of {dollars} from older Individuals.
Court docket paperwork unsealed in New Haven lay out allegations that Richard Murray and a number of other others operated the scheme starting as early as 2018. Investigators say victims had been contacted by cellphone and informed they’d gained a Publishers Clearing Home sweepstakes. Nevertheless, authorities allege that earlier than accumulating any supposed prize cash, the winners first needed to ship in charges and taxes.
In keeping with prosecutors, these calls had been solely the start.
After the preliminary conversations, the group allegedly mailed cast paperwork to their targets. The papers had been designed to seem like official profitable notifications from Publishers Clearing Home, together with tax kinds that appeared to come back from the Inner Income Service. Investigators say the paperwork was meant to make the story plausible and reassure victims that the funds had been official.
Lots of the folks focused had been aged. Prosecutors say victims mailed money, checks, or cash orders to addresses in Connecticut and different states. In some instances, people despatched a number of funds after being informed extra charges had been required.
The indictment describes what authorities name a community of “cash mules.” These had been individuals who obtained funds from victims after which transferred the cash to Murray and others, in keeping with prosecutors. A few of these people had been allegedly misled themselves and believed they had been participating in lawful enterprise transactions.
Federal officers additionally declare the group recruited others to open financial institution accounts underneath totally different names to maneuver the cash. Investigators say a few of these accounts had been tied to ATM playing cards utilized in Jamaica, the place money withdrawals had been made out of funds generated by the scheme.
A federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment on April 16, 2024. Murray is charged with one rely of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, and one rely of conspiracy to commit cash laundering. Every cost carries a most doable sentence of 20 years in jail.
Authorities arrested Murray in Hampton, Georgia, on January 22, 2026. He later appeared earlier than U.S. Justice of the Peace Choose Robert M. Spector in New Haven on Wednesday (February 11), the place he pleaded not responsible to all prices. He has remained in custody since his arrest.
Prosecutors stress that an indictment is just an allegation. Murray is presumed harmless except and till he’s confirmed responsible in court docket.
Anybody who believes they could have been focused is inspired to report the incident to federal authorities.
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