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TACOMA, Wash. - A Jamaican citizen pleaded guilty this week in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to wire fraud in a lottery scheme that cost a 73-year-old Vancouver, Washington, woman more than $550,000.
Roshard Andrew Carty, 34, was arrested in Jamaica on Aug. 21, 2025, and will be sentenced to prison in May.
The backstory:
Carty allegedly posed as a Publisher’s Clearinghouse employee beginning in 2020, claiming the victim had won $22 million and a car but needed to pay taxes and fees to claim her prize.
He convinced the victim the FBI was recording her calls, telling her not to tell anyone about the big win.
Between August 2020 and February 2024, Carty had the victim send more than $550,000 to U.S. couriers, who forwarded the money to Jamaica.
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Carty's demands escalated from small cash shipments to eventually urging the woman to borrow against and sell her home to cover additional "costs and fees."
Authorities said he contacted her thousands of times and, when she tried to cut off communication, Carty sent tow trucks, pizza deliveries and requested a welfare check through her landlord.
Carty was indicted in November 2024 and consented to extradition to the U.S. after his arrest.
What's next:
Wire fraud carries up to 20 years in prison, though prosecutors will recommend no more than 41 months. Carty will be sentenced on May 14, 2026.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the U.S. Attorney's Office Western District of Washington.