Rhode Island Woman Found Guilty In Jamaican Lottery Scam

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. Sept. 17, 2018: A Providence, Rhode Island woman was the 27th defendant convicted late last week in a  Jamaican lottery scam case that was investigated and prosecuted over 6 years.

Melinda Bulgin was found guilty of 15 counts of conspiracy, fraud and money laundering by a federal jury in Bismarck, North Dakota.

Authorities say scammers called victims about bogus lottery winnings, persuading them to send advance fees or so-called taxes to receive the purported winnings, then keeping the money without paying anything to the victims.

Among the victims was an 82-year-old Harvey, North Dakota woman who was scammed out of $400,000.