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Date: 08-19-2022

Case Style:

United States of America v. Greg Warren Clarke

Case Number: 0:19-cr-60084-BB

Judge: Beth Bloom

Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida (Miami-Dade County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: United States Attorney’s Office

Defendant's Attorney:



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Description: Fort Lauderdale, Florida criminal lawyer represented Defendant charged with lottery fraud.

Greg Warren Clarke, 29, of Montego Bay, Jamaica, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud for his role in a Jamaica-based fraudulent lottery scheme that convinced American victims – many of whom were elderly – to pay money to collect fictitious lottery winnings. An indictment was filed against Clarke in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in April 2019 and unsealed upon his extradition to the United States, which occurred in May 2022.

“This guilty plea demonstrates the Justice Department’s dedication to prosecuting those responsible for fraudulent lottery schemes, even when they commit their crimes from foreign countries,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to aggressively combat scams that seek to prey on older Americans.”

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service stands ready to stop overseas criminals from illegally enriching themselves by using the mail to defraud consumers in the United States,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Juan Vargas of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Miami Division. “We will continue to work with foreign governments to track down these criminals and bring them to justice.”

As part of his guilty plea, Clarke admitted that, from in or around September 2013, through in or around August 2015, he worked with co-conspirators, including Claude Anthony Shaw, in a scheme to defraud in which victims were called and falsely told that they had won over a million dollars in a lottery and needed to pay fees or taxes to claim their winnings. Victims were instructed to send their money through wire transfers or the mail to Shaw and other individuals. Clarke further admitted that, as part of the conspiracy, he and Shaw discussed (over the phone and through cell phone text messages) plans to receive victims’ money. At Clarke’s direction, Shaw received money from victims through wire transfers and the mail. Clarke further admitted that he and Shaw discussed arrangements for victims to send money to other individuals with whom Shaw worked. Clarke then instructed Shaw to send the victims’ money to Clarke in Jamaica, usually through wire transfers. Victims who sent money to Clarke and his co-conspirators never received any lottery winnings.

Shaw previously pleaded guilty to mail fraud in the U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale. In June 2017, he was sentenced to 36 months in prison.

Clarke is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 28.

Senior Trial Attorney Arturo DeCastro of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch is prosecuting this case. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.

18:1349 Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud
(1)
18:1341 Mail Fraud
(2)
18:1343 Wire Fraud
(3-5)
18:1956(a)(2)(A) International Money Laudering
(6)

Outcome: 08/19/2022 24 PAPERLESS Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Beth Bloom: Change of Plea Hearing as to Greg Warren Clarke held on 8/19/2022. Greg Warren Clarke (1) was placed under oath and plead guilty to Count One of the indictment. A signed Plea Agreement and Factual Proffer was submitted to the Court. Defendant remanded into USM custody. Sentencing is set for 10/28/2022 at 9:30 AM in Miami Division before Judge Bloom. Total time in court: 25 minutes. Attorney Appearance(s): Arturo Anton DeCastro, AUSA and Dustin M Tischler, Esq. Court Reporter: Yvette Hernandez, 305-523-5698 / Yvette_Hernandez@flsd.uscourts.gov. (jao) (Entered: 08/19/2022)
08/19/2022 25 PAPERLESS ORDER SETTING DATE, TIME, AND PROCEDURES FOR THE SENTENCING HEARING as to as to Greg Warren Clarke. The Sentencing hearing is set for October 28, 2022 at 9:30 AM in the Miami Division, 400 North Miami Avenue, for thirty (30) minutes before Judge Beth Bloom, Courtroom 10-2. The Probation Office shall disclose the Draft PSR no later than 35 days prior to the sentencing hearing. THE COURT ORDERS that if more than thirty (30) minutes is needed for the sentencing hearing, counsel shall file a notice estimating the amount of time needed for the sentencing hearing no later than fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the hearing.

THE COURT FURTHER ORDERS that counsel shall file their Objections, and Motions for Departure and/or Variance from the guidelines, if any, to the DRAFT PSR within fourteen (14) days after disclosure of the DRAFT PSR. Responses to the Objections and any Sentencing Memoranda and Motions for Departure and/or Variance from the Guidelines shall be filed seven (7) days thereafter. Responses must be filed to any Objections. The Probation Office shall disclose the Final PSR and Addendum no later than (7) days prior to the sentencing hearing. After the FINAL PSR has been disclosed to the parties, or if the PSR is subsequently Revised, or Supplemented, counsel shall file a Notice stating which of the previously filed Objections, if any, have been resolved and which Objections, if any, remain to be resolved by the Court at the sentencing hearing. This Notice shall be filed no later than three (3) days before the sentencing hearing. If on Bond, the defendant should be prepared to self-surrender at the conclusion of the sentencing hearing. Signed by Beth Bloom. (jao) (Entered: 08/19/2022)
08/19/2022 26 FACTUAL PROFFER STATEMENT as to Greg Warren Clarke (ego) (Entered: 08/19/2022)
08/19/2022 27 PLEA AGREEMENT as to Greg Warren Clarke (ego) (Entered: 08/19/2022)

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