A Jamaican man admitted in U.S. court to running a long-running lottery scam that tricked a 73-year-old Washington state woman into sending more than $550,000 through money couriers and shipping services.
A federal case in Tacoma unfolded this week when 34-year-old Roshard Andrew Carty pleaded guilty to wire fraud tied to a scheme that began in 2020 and continued through early 2024. The victim, a 73-year-old woman from Vancouver, Washington, was told she had won $22 million and a car, and was repeatedly pressured to pay taxes and fees to claim the prize.
Carty allegedly posed as an employee of Publisher’s Clearinghouse and used elaborate lies to keep the victim compliant, including telling her the FBI was recording calls and insisting she not tell anyone about the supposed win. Between August 2020 and February 2024 the defendant convinced the woman to send cash to various money couriers across the United States, funds that were ultimately routed to Jamaica.
The fraud escalated over time: initial requests for small sums grew into repeated demands for larger amounts and additional sacrifices, including borrowing against the victim’s home. Investigators say Carty even urged the sale of the victim’s house to cover ongoing “costs and fees” tied to claiming the fictitious prize, extracting in total more than $550,000 through mailed cash and courier pickups.
When the victim tried to stop sending money, the defendant allegedly intensified contact, using new phone numbers and texting platforms to call thousands of times. He is accused of arranging tow trucks and pizza deliveries and even asking the victim’s landlord for a welfare check to re-establish contact, behavior prosecutors describe as harassment intended to sustain the scam.
Carty was indicted in November 2024 and arrested in Jamaica on August 21, 2025 before consenting to extradition to the United States for arraignment on October 23, 2025. He faces sentencing before U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright on May 14, 2026 after entering the guilty plea in Tacoma federal court.
Wire fraud carries a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, though prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence of no more than 41 months, and the defense may argue for a different outcome. Judge Cartwright is free to impose any lawful sentence and is not bound by the parties’ recommendation.
The FBI investigated the case, and the prosecution is handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Watts Staniar and David T. Martin. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs worked with Jamaican authorities to secure the arrest and extradition that brought Carty to the U.S. for prosecution.
Officials emphasize common warning signs of prize and lottery scams and note that the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica maintains guidance on scams originating there. The bottom line: You never should pay to receive a prize and any request for advance fees is a scam.
