A Georgia man received a federal prison sentence after a sweepstakes and lottery fraud scheme drained at least one million dollars from senior citizens across multiple states, triggering a multiagency investigation and restitution orders for those involved.
A federal court in Rhode Island sentenced Patrick Dallas, 38, to 24 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after his conviction in a scheme that targeted older Americans. The case revealed a pattern of deception that stretched beyond state lines and involved coordinated efforts to launder illicit proceeds through controlled accounts and entities.
Court documents say Dallas and two co-conspirators used a bogus sweepstakes pitch tied to Publishers Clearing House or similar lotteries to convince victims they had won life-changing sums. Victims were told they had won large prizes, often described as millions of dollars, and were pressured to verify personal information and pay upfront fees and taxes to claim the supposed winnings.
Those demands included sending cash, gift cards, and even high-value items like Rolex watches and iPhones to addresses the defendants controlled. The fraud relied on weaponizing hope and trust, then escalating pressure with fees and threats until victims surrendered money or sensitive personal data.
“These defendants preyed on seniors across the country by offering them the false promise of life‑changing winnings, only to drain their savings and exploit their trust,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “This office remains committed to aggressively prosecuting individuals who target vulnerable victims, and today’s sentence reflects our determination to hold accountable those who profit from fraud and deceit.”
Investigators also detailed how the defendants disguised and moved the stolen funds, engaging in money laundering to hide the origins and make recovery more difficult for victims. Sentencing included orders to pay restitution tied to the conspiracies to commit mail and wire fraud and to commit money laundering, underscoring the financial harm inflicted.
Dallas’s sentencing came shortly after co-defendant Owen Demoy Byfield, 33, received a similar 24-month prison term and was ordered to pay $1.7 million in restitution. Byfield also faced a judicial order of removal, allowing for deportation after he completes his sentence, showing the case had immigration implications as well as criminal penalties.
Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams prosecuted the matter, while Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Warwick Police Department led inquiries. Additional help came from Homeland Security Investigations in Atlanta, the Georgia State Patrol, Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the East Providence Police Department.
“Patrick Dallas and his co-conspirators ran a predatory fraud scheme that stole from seniors by weaponizing hope, trust, and fear, convincing victims they had won life-changing prizes only to drain them of their hard-earned money and personal information,” said HSI New England Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Grimming. “This sentence cannot undo the financial and emotional harm inflicted on these victims, but it delivers accountability and makes clear that those who target older Americans through lies, intimidation, and greed will face serious consequences. HSI New England is at the forefront of investigating fraud that seeks to exploit our unsuspecting, hard-working, and often vulnerable public, and we will continue working relentlessly with our partners to identify these schemes, dismantle them, and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
The case illustrates how sweepstakes-style cons can blend social engineering with financial manipulation to produce significant losses for vulnerable populations. Prosecutors emphasized the coordinated nature of the operation, how the victims were chosen and exploited, and the lengths the defendants went to conceal their actions and profits.
Authorities continue to pursue leads tied to similar scams and encourage reporting to the appropriate investigative agencies when suspicious solicitations or demands for upfront payments appear. The sentence and restitution orders in this case aim to hold the perpetrators accountable and recover some measure of justice for those who were deceived.
