Georgia Resident Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for International Lottery Fraud Scheme that Victimized Elderly People in California and Elsewhere

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Adedayo Akinwunmi Agbayewa, 45, of College Park, Georgia, was sentenced today to five years in prison and ordered to pay $7,784,415 in restitution for a mail fraud and money laundering conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Agbayewa and his co‑conspirators were involved in a lottery or sweepstakes telemarketing scheme that targeted elderly victims. The conspirators used false names and falsely notified the victims by mail or telephone that they had won a sweepstakes or lottery. The victims were told that they had to pay taxes or fees before they could receive their winnings. The victims mailed checks or deposited money into bank accounts as directed by the individuals involved in the scheme. However, the victims never received any prize money; in fact, no lottery or sweepstakes ever existed.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS‑Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall prosecuted the case.

The U.S. Department of Justice, through the Elder Justice Initiative, works to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s older adults. Through the Elder Justice Initiative, the department provides community presentations, educational webinars, summits, and resources to help older victims and their families. The Elder Justice Initiative’s website is: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice. The National Elder Fraud Hotline number is: 1-833–FRAUD–11 (or 833–372–8311).