Police executed a search warrant at a home on the 6000 block of Roosevelt Avenue and subsequently arrested Jacqueline Fraley, 60, in connection with the case.
Detective Steve Winters said Fraley initially was charged with theft, but that charge was withdrawn and the case turned over to the U.S. Attorney General’s Office after he said evidence suggested it could be better prosecuted federally.
After reviewing receipts and ledgers seized from Fraley’s home, the detective said the scam has possibly defrauded more than a hundred people across the U.S. Winters said a statement from Fraley indicates she allegedly handled at least $180,000 since she began working as a processor for the international scam artists in July 2010.
“Her bookkeeping was impeccable, I will give her credit on that,” Winters said. “And that was sort of her demise on this one.”
Winters said the victims — who were mostly elderly — were contacted via phone and told they had won thousands of dollars in the “American Sweepstakes.” They were then instructed to send money to Fraley to cover taxes and court costs before the “sweepstakes funds” could be released.
Fraley is not believed to have contacted victims, but her address was used. Winters said Fraley would take an undisclosed cut of the money and then send the rest to organizers in Jamaica and Costa Rica.
About $4,000 was returned to the Florida victim following Fraley’s arrest, according to police.
Fraley did not return calls seeking comment.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2843 or jheffner@coxohio.com.
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