By Racquel Porter
Four Jamaican nationals, who are implicated in a lottery scam that fleeced the elderly of thousands of US dollars, have been arrested in Baldwin, Alabama, in the United States.
Peter Walcott, Malik Chambers, Romario Nembhard, and Jermaine Smith were arrested on Friday.
Six more Jamaican suspects have been identified.
The FBI says the suspects stole more than US$200,000 from dozens of victims across the country.
Parker Still, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's office in Mobile, Alabama, says the crime syndicate, "Jamaican knights" consisted primarily of Jamaican nationals, who were illegal immigrants.
According to the affidavit, a FedEx shipping center in Mobile intercepted cash deliveries from elderly victims in February 2023.
Victims were told they won the lotto and needed to pay taxes in the form of cash shipments in order to receive their prize.
Mr Still says the FBI has identified more than 75 victims, primarily elderly persons, throughout the United States.
Shipments were sent to addresses in Foley, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
The affidavit states portions of the stolen cash were withdrawn at ATMS in and around Westmoreland, Jamaica.
According to the affidavit, more than 180 thousand has been intercepted and recovered from various addresses linked to the suspects, most of which has been returned to the victims.
According to the affidavit, Mr Chambers is in the US legally with a temporary B1/B2 visa that expires August 27th.
The visas held by Mr Smith, Mr Walcott, and Mr Nembhard have expired.
Mr Chambers, Mr Smith, and Mr Nembhard had their initial appearance in federal court Friday and were ordered kept in custody, pending a detention hearing.
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