More gay lotto scammers held by cops

Not even a month since the very public arrests, trial in our local courts, subsequent extradition signing and internationally shown accused placed on a US plane with FBI agents to boot more persons have been held. The crackdown is not limited to western Jamaica as scammer overall have been spreading themselves out and reducing the public displays of wealth, they buy cheaper cars to deflect eyes of suspicion by some. Gay lotto scammers were identified in this latest batch on April 26 and in the previous extradition there were allegedly some big players as well who were gay and whose cases are ongoing in the United States. 

66-count indictment

 the April extradition along with FBI agents

The eight, police constable Jason Jahalal, Alrick McLeod, O'neil Brown, Dario Palmer, Kazrae Gray, Kimberly Hudson, Xanu-Ann Morgan, and Dahlia Hunter are facing a 66-count indictment in the state of North Dakota. They are each charged with one count of conspiracy and attempting to commit wire fraud, 48 counts of wire fraud, 15 counts of mail fraud, and one count of money laundering.

Prosecutors in North Dakota have charged that they were part of a criminal organisation, led by another Jamaican identified as Lavrick Willocks who used an advance fee or lottery scam scheme, to fleece 80 elderly victims of approximately US$5.6 million.

Willocks was apprehended last November in the garden at a Kingston hotel and extradited to the US in January after waiving his right to a hearing.Sunday May 7, 2017 was the last raid known done which netted a mixed bag to include young gay men, the symbiotic relationship between hetero and homosexual is well established and while there is illegality it had a positive impact on the homeless populations then; when the fallout came however the result was displacement as the mother figure of the drag queens for example was zapped.

Hitherto this latest raid and nabbing of persons there are outstanding persons to be extradited and is allegedly on the run meanwhile the courts in the United States has started trial of the last batch of accused.

The police raid at a house in Pitfour resulted in wads of cash, laptops, three motor vehicles, smartphones and suspected lead sheets used to target unsuspected victims in order to persuade them to send cash. Three persons were held as it is suspected that the occupants at the house saw the cops arriving and so they made good their escape from a side gate. It is amazing to many that despite the crackdown with United States pressure and support to boot persons still continue to do this is a question that is on the minds of many. Earlier this month there was another detention by cops of persons and cash and other items were found but the persons held were released as the evidence apparently was not strong enough to lead to arrest. Greed seems to be the reasons for persons continuing in this illegal activity as the money is just irresistible, the lavish lifestyle, materialism without having to work traditionally for it.

The age cohort seems to be falling yet still as school children are involved and recruit others, some simply stop going to school and mange to convince parents and siblings into the act. Problem with those who are gay and involved it leaves an ugly impression occasionally expressed by public commentators with an antigay thought process that lotto scammers and such must not get any rights. It gets particular potent when any mention of the often described the father of scamming (which he is not) Kenrick ‘Bebe’ Stevenson and while he and others were held and tried in court before he was murdered; some say he deserved it and maybe some powerful folks got involved in the setting of his demise. His connections to the People’s National Party, PNP as he was a community leader and vice president of the western region, even after so long his legacy is still lingering to reflect the antigay posture by some.

How to interrogate persons involved or thinking of entering the fray to recede to the business of working for what wants, saving and proper planning, pursuing some sort of education and or small business opportunities is the challenge, not when persons can wash their cars and shoes with champagne, paying rent months well in advance without a refund from the landlord if it is they have to make a quick move as they suspect some heat. 

latest update 

The crackdown continues with much support by the US and a recent a rather shocking if not controversial declaration by the an embassy official that they are going after lawyers supposed facilitating money laundering for scammers left many eyebrows in the room. Many are waiting with bated breath to see who the US folks are talking about, bearing in mind that the comments made by Joshua Polacheck (above) included that the investigations are near completion through to requesting extradition orders, that suggests persons were being watched for a while or that persons who have been held have been spilling the beans possibly in exchange for lesser sentences in a kind of plea bargain arrangement. I am hoping that young gay and lesbian indeed transgender folks take sleep to mark death and avoid ruining their lives and or future. Despite murders there seems not be any deterrent to persons still entering the fray, the money is too sweet they say in some circles.

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Peace & tolerance

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