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Rodney Thomas, age 31, of New Haven, was sentenced to six years behind bars Tuesday, Aug. 23 in federal court in Bridgeport after a jury convicted him of multiple charges stemming from the scheme.
Federal prosecutors said Thomas and several others bilked 200 elderly victims across the country out of more than $5 million through bogus lottery and romance scams carried out between August 2015 and March 2020.
Some unsuspecting victims were duped into sending money after the group contacted them - either by telephone, mail, or online - and informed them that they had won the lottery, prosecutors said.
Victims were then told that in order to collect their winnings they must pay fees for things like taxes, shipping, and processing.
Prosecutors said the group also tricked their victims by preying on their desire for companionship, pretending to be romantically interested and then claiming they needed money for things like medical or travel expenses.
Victims sent cash, money orders, or checks through the mail to various Connecticut addresses, prosecutors said.
They also wired or deposited money into bank accounts in the state controlled by the defendants.
According to investigators, Thomas used his personal bank accounts and also set up business accounts to launder money for the group, which prosecutors said included Farouq Fasasi.
Thomas, Fasasi, and other co-conspirators lived together at a home on Sherman Avenue in New Haven, where packages containing cash, checks and money orders from victims were often delivered.
Prosecutors said Thomas also recruited others to help launder proceeds from the scheme.
Many of the victims were elderly and vulnerable, with some losing their life savings, prosecutors said. One Connecticut victim lost more than $1 million.
In February 2022, Thomas and Fasasi were found guilty of multiple charges related to the scheme.
Fasasi was sentenced to 14 years in prison and ordered to pay more than $5.9 million in restitution.
Four others have been charged and convicted stemming from their participation in the scheme.
“This defendant was an active participant in a scheme that involved the cruel theft from numerous seniors and other vulnerable individuals, and this prison term is appropriate,” US Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery said.
“I thank all of our law enforcement partners who investigated this case and helped achieve some justice for the victims of these crimes.”
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