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U.S. Attorney John Durham announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an 11-count indictment charging five people for their participation in lottery and romance scams that defrauded elderly victims across the country of millions.
Those charged:
- Farouq Fasasi, 25, a citizen Nigeria residing New Haven;
- Rodney Thomas, Jr., 29, of New Haven;
- Montrell Dobbs, Jr., 27, recently of Ansonia, Hamden, and New Haven;
- Stanley Pierre, 32, of Bridgeport;
- Ralph Pierre, 30, of New Haven.
It is alleged that since August 2015, Fasasi, Thomas and their co-conspirators have used lottery scams, romance scams and other fraudulent means to induce elderly victims to provide them with money, gifts and personal details.
Victims would cash, money orders or checks through the mail to various addresses in Connecticut, and also wired or deposited money into bank accounts in Connecticut controlled by members of the conspiracy and other associates. Fasasi, Thomas and their associates, including Dobbs, Stanley Pierre, and Ralph Pierre, retained a portion of the fraudulently obtained money and passed the rest to others.
In addition, it is alleged the five participated in a conspiracy to commit money laundering with the proceeds from the victims.
“Scammers use promises of large financial gains or sometimes even romantic relationships to lure victims in, only to manipulate them into giving their life savings away,” Inspector-in-Charge Joseph Cronin of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, said. “They prey on those individuals who are more susceptible to falling for a phony promotion or offer, most times, our elder population
In total, the fraudster’s victims were taken for more than $4 million, including one Connecticut resident who lost more than $1 million alone.
Fasasi, Thomas, and Ralph Pierre are currently behind held after pleading not guilty to the charges. Dobbs is released on bond and Stanley Pierre is still being sought by law enforcement investigators.
“The financial victimization of seniors is as reprehensible as it is cruel, and the Justice Department has made it a priority to root out those who commit these crimes,” Durham said. “Numerous victims in this scheme gave thousands of dollars to these alleged predators. I urge all to think twice, and then to think again, before providing any money to individuals who they have never met in person.”
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