Dwayne Anderson, a 35-year-old Jamaican national, has been extradited to the United States and made his initial appearance in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on federal wire fraud charges. Anderson was arrested in Jamaica on July 11 at the request of U.S. authorities and has remained in custody since then. He allegedly participated in a long-running scheme to defraud an American woman, convincing her she had won millions in a sweepstakes from 2010 to September 2017.
According to the indictment, Anderson used fake names to contact the victim through various communication channels, misleading her into believing she needed to pay fees and taxes to claim her prize. He guided her on how to send payments, ultimately persuading her to travel to Jamaica in September 2017 under the pretense of collecting her winnings. Upon her arrival, he instructed her to bring $1,600 in cash, which she paid but never received any of her promised winnings.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton highlighted the Justice Department’s commitment to pursuing transnational criminals who defraud Americans, thanking the Jamaican government for their assistance in the extradition process. U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell emphasized the seriousness of exploiting victims’ trust, stating that the District of South Dakota will vigorously prosecute anyone involved in such criminal acts.
Anderson faces eight counts of wire fraud, with each count carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with support from the Jamaica Constabulary Force. The Justice Department continues to investigate similar fraud schemes targeting U.S. residents, encouraging victims, especially seniors, to report financial fraud and seek assistance through the National Elder Fraud Hotline.
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