Jamaican woman in Maine USA arrested for lottery scam

Police in Wells, Maine have arrested Anneth Swaby, a 47-year-old Jamaican woman, for allegedly participating in a scam that apparently netted about $26,000 from two elderly victims.

Gilbert, Arizona police contacted police in Wells, telling them that an 88-year-old woman there had sent about $16,000 to an address in Wells. 

Police said the Arizona woman had been called by someone in Jamaica who said she had won a lottery but had to send money to pay fees associated with the lottery before receiving her winnings. The woman was given an address in Jamaica and another in Wells.

Wells police searched a house on Wells and recovered cash and other items. They said the house was occupied by five people from Jamaica who were working in Ogunquit for the summer on work visas. The house is owned by the owner of the Ogunquit hotel, who used it to house some of his summer workers.

Wells police also uncovered evidence that an 81-year-old man from Taylor County, Florida, had sent about $10,000 to Wells in another apparent scam. Wells police contacted the sheriff’s office in Florida, where deputies confirmed that the man said he had sent money to Wells.

Anneth Swaby was arrested and charged with theft by unauthorized taking or transfer. Swaby posted $1,000 bail, and federal authorities said she would be added to a no-fly list so she didn’t try to return to Jamaica. She remains in the U.S. on her work visa. Swaby deposited the check in a local bank and wired some of the money to Jamaica. No one else was charged in the scheme.