Jamaican National Indicted for Fraudulently Collecting Lottery Money from the Elderly

St. Louis, MO –Christopher Gibbon, 48, of Florissant, Missouri, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and bank fraud; four counts of mail fraud; and one count of bank fraud.

According to the Indictment, Gibbon, a Jamaican National who resided in St. Louis County, Missouri, participated in a lottery scheme targeting residents over the age of 60 residing in various parts of the country. He participated in the scheme as early as 2012 through July 2018.

The scheme involved individuals in Jamaica calling United States residents to inform them that they had won money and prizes in a lottery.  Gibbon’s role was to mail letters to fraud victims advising them that the lottery winnings were legitimate.  Because the letters were purportedly written by United States government officials, and mailed from within the United States, the recipients believed the fraudulent representations.  In exchange, Gibbon received 20% of the illegal proceeds mailed to him while he forwarded the balance to his counterparts in Jamaica.  Those proceeds ranged from $190.00 to as much as $50,000.00.   

If convicted, Gibbon faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count.  Restitution is also mandatory.

Charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is investigating this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The Department of Justice Elder Justice Initiative is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting financial crimes targeting older adults.  The Eastern District of Missouri Identity Theft Task Force is a group of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies working together to combat identity theft and its related crimes across the St. Louis Community.