A federal grand jury in Connecticut has returned an indictment against a Hinesville man for running a sweepstakes scam.

Marc H. Silverman, acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, announced the indictment Wednesday against Jimmy Smith, 30. Smith, a native of Jamaica, is living in Hinesville.

Smith was arrested in Florida on March 17, 2025. He is currently in home detention on electronic monitoring, and is scheduled to be arraigned in New Haven federal court on April 4.

As alleged in the indictment, in a sweepstakes scam, scam participants contact victims by telephone and falsely inform them that they have won large sums of money. Victims are told that they need to pay fees or taxes to claim their winnings and they are instructed to send money through the mail to various addresses controlled by scam participants, or to various bank accounts through wires.

The indictment alleges that Smith and others defrauded at least four victims residing in Connecticut, New York, Texas, and California, by telling them they had won a Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes and needed to pay taxes or money to claim the prize. Smith recruited others to use their bank accounts to deposit money that had been mailed by scam victims. Smith’s co-conspirators then withdrew cash and gave it to Smith, or sent Smith money using bank transfer applications.

For example, it is alleged that, in July 2022, a Connecticut victim was contacted by telephone and told that she had won a $2.5 million sweepstakes prize and needed to pay taxes to claim her winnings. In August 2022, the victim mailed a $75,000 check paid to the order of Keshelski & K Transport to an address in Brooklyn, New York. The account was deposited into an account in the name of Keshelski&K Transports LLC, which was controlled by Keshelski Bates, an alleged co-conspirator of Smith.

The indictment also alleges that Smith participated in a separate scheme that defrauded an Arkansas resident who believed he was paying for farm equipment.

The indictment charges Smith with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and conduct illegal monetary transactions. Each offense carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

On January 21, 2025, Keshelski Bates, 30, also of Hinesville, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. He is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.

This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with the assistance of Army CID, the Hinesville Police Department, and the Orlando (Fla.) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather M. Cherry.

Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Litchfield for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.