A US Federal Judge sentenced a Jamaican National to nearly four years in federal prison. He was sentenced for orchestrating a sweepstakes scam and a scheme involving farm equipment that defrauded victims out of more than $2.6 million.
Court documents identified the convict as Jimmy Smith, 31, a Jamaican national living in Hinesville, Georgia. On Wednesday, June 24, 2026, U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford handed Smith a 46-month prison sentence.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut, Smith pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. He also pleaded guilty to wire fraud on November 18, 2025.
Federal officials explained the common tactics used in sweepstakes scams. Victims receive phone calls claiming they’ve won substantial prizes. However, they are then misled into thinking they must pay fees or taxes to access their winnings. They are often directed to send money to specific addresses or bank accounts controlled by the scammers. Therefore, staying informed about these schemes is crucial for protecting ourselves and our loved ones from falling victim to such fraudulent activities!
Court records indicate that Smith and others scammed at least four victims from Connecticut, New York, Texas, and California. They misled these victims into believing they had won a Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes. Furthermore, they told them they needed to pay taxes or fees to claim their prizes.
According to these records, Smith recruited individuals to use their bank accounts for depositing money sent by scam victims. His co-conspirators then withdrew cash and either handed it over to Smith or transferred money to him using banking applications.
Jimmy Smith, a Jamaican national, defrauded a victim in Connecticut out of $75,000.
One victim from Connecticut received a call in July 2022 claiming she had won a $2.5 million sweepstakes prize, but needed to pay taxes to claim her winnings. In August 2022, she mailed a $75,000 check payable to Keshelski & K Transport, which was listed at an address in Brooklyn, New York. The check was then deposited into an account controlled by Keshelski Bates. Notably, Bates is a co-conspirator of Smith.
The authorities arrested the Jamaican national on March 17, 2025, and is currently out on bond, under electronic monitoring. He must report to prison on August 24, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Bates, meanwhile, has also pleaded guilty to the same charge and is awaiting sentencing.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, conducted the investigation, with assistance from Army CID, the Hinesville (Georgia) Police Department, and the Orlando (Florida) Police Department.
U.S. Attorney David X. Sullivan thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Litchfield. He thanked them for their close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this case.