Fake $22 Million Sweepstakes Cost Retiree More Than $600,000

By Alex Morgan. Sep 20, 2026

A Fake Prize Became a Years-Long Financial Trap

Roshard Andrew Carty was sentenced to three years in federal prison after admitting his role in a sweepstakes scam that cost a 73-year-old Washington woman more than $600,000.

The scheme began in 2020, when Carty posed as an employee of Publishers Clearing House and told the woman she had won $22 million and a car. There was one supposed obstacle: she had to pay taxes and fees before the prize could be released.

There was no prize. Federal prosecutors said the requests for money continued for years.

The Payments Grew as the Story Changed

At first, the victim was asked to send smaller sums. When she hesitated or questioned what was happening, prosecutors said Carty persisted and offered new explanations for why more money was needed.

Earlier payments were described as lost, delayed or insufficient. The victim was repeatedly told that another payment would finally unlock the much larger winnings.

The financial pressure became severe. Prosecutors said she borrowed against her home and eventually sold it so she could continue paying the supposed costs connected to the prize.

Money was routed through people in the United States before reaching Carty in Jamaica.

Extradition Brought the Case to Federal Court

Carty was arrested in Jamaica in August 2025 and later brought to the United States. He pleaded guilty to wire fraud in February 2026.

At sentencing in May, a federal judge imposed a three-year prison term. Because Carty pleaded guilty, his responsibility for the offense is established rather than alleged.

The latest Justice Department release said the victim’s losses exceeded $600,000, a higher figure than earlier reporting that placed the amount above $550,000.

The Promise Was Enormous, but the Loss Was Real

The scam worked by keeping a huge fictional reward just out of reach. Each additional payment could be framed as the final step before the $22 million prize was released.

That structure can trap a victim who has already sent substantial money. Walking away does not simply mean giving up on a prize; it can feel like accepting that all earlier payments are gone.

In this case, the cycle continued until the victim had lost savings and her home. The promised millions never existed.

Carty’s sentence brings a legal conclusion to his part of the scheme, but the financial consequences for the retiree were built over years of repeated contact, escalating requests and a false promise that the next payment would finally make everything right.

References: U.S. Department of Justice - Jamaican national sentenced to prison for lottery scam | U.S. Department of Justice - Jamaican citizen pleads guilty to sweepstake scam