Caribbean360: Money laundering and murder in Jamaica lottery scams

Money laundering and murder in Jamaica lottery scams
================================================================================
Chris Hoyos on 07/05/2012 10:01:00
 
KINGSTON, Jamaica, Monday, May 7, 2012 – Lottery scams are the single most
significant contributor to the increase in murders in the St James parish in
most recent years.
This startling revelation was made by Assistant Commissioner of Police Carl
Williams as he gave a keynote address at a Cybercrimes Act awareness seminar at
Iberostar Hotel in Montego Bay recently.
Williams was speaking the same day that police in Jamaica announced the arrest
six people accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from United States
citizens through a lottery scam.
Saturday's statement from police says that one of the men had more than
US$60,000 in an account believed to belong to the victims. Police also seized
computers, information on the lottery scam and lists of US victims, with their
addresses and other personal information.
The arrests came after police contacted a US victim they say lost $120,000
through the scam. In the first instance, a man and a woman were arrested about
Thursday afternoon after the man went to a financial institution to retrieve
money from a United States-currency account. In the second instance, four
persons, including two women, were arrested by police Friday afternoon.
According to international reports, Jamaica has long operated as a centre for
international telemarketing frauds that target elderly Americans and take in
roughly US$300 million a year.
ACP Williams told his the seminar attendees that law enforcers were being forced
to play catch up to the lottery scammers.
"We are not fighting cyber criminals on a level playing field," he continued.
"Similarly, it is difficult to design legislation that will absolutely address
the phenomenon. Even as we speak technology is evolving, and with it new
opportunities for cybercrime."
The infamous lottery scam has kept both local and international investigators
busy since its inception in 2006.
Last week, Superintendent Egbert Parkins told a group of entertainment promoters
and stakeholders in St James that no permits will be granted to persons involved
in the lottery scam.
"No known lotto scammers who thief money from others for their benefit or gunmen
not getting any permit to keep event to go an buy any ammunition or guns to come
terrorise the citizens in the city," Parkins told a capacity-filled town hall at
the Montego Bay Civic Centre. Click here to receive free news bulletins via
email from Caribbean360. (View  sample)