A Jamaican man has pleaded guilty in a sprawling international sweepstakes fraud scheme that U.S. prosecutors say stole more than $9 million from over 200 elderly Americans, marking a significant development in a years-long investigation into cross-border scams targeting vulnerable seniors. Federal authorities said Jordan Trought, 30, admitted to helping lead the operation, which allegedly ran for nearly a decade and relied on false promises of lottery prizes to persuade victims to send repeated payments.
Trought entered his guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy after being extradited from Jamaica, where he was arrested in August 2025. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud and bank fraud. Prosecutors said the conspiracy generated more than $9 million in losses nationwide.
Announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton described the operation as a coordinated effort that deliberately preyed on older Americans.
"Jordan Trought admitted today that he helped lead an international fraud ring that stole millions of dollars from elderly victims across the United States through lies about sweepstakes winnings," Clayton said.
According to court filings, the fraud scheme operated from at least 2015 through 2025. Investigators said victims received unsolicited phone calls and text messages informing them they had supposedly won large cash prizes, luxury vehicles or other valuable awards. Before claiming those prizes, however, victims were instructed to pay taxes, insurance costs, processing fees, delivery charges or similar expenses.
To make the deception appear legitimate, prosecutors said members of the organization allegedly posed as representatives of sweepstakes companies, financial institutions, government agencies and prize distribution organizations. Once victims made an initial payment, they were frequently told additional complications had emerged, requiring further payments before their winnings could be released.
Authorities said victims transferred money through multiple methods, including:
- Checks and money orders
- Cash shipments
- Wire transfers
- Zelle
- Venmo
Federal prosecutors alleged the fraudsters maintained regular contact with victims through repeated phone calls, fabricated paperwork and assurances that reimbursement was imminent. Many victims, believing they were only one payment away from receiving a substantial prize, continued sending money over months, with some losing tens of thousands of dollars.
Investigators also alleged the organization expanded beyond simple payment requests by taking control of certain victims' bank accounts and using them to move stolen funds. According to prosecutors, portions of the proceeds were routed to associates in Jamaica and to an automobile business operated by Trought.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said Trought joined the conspiracy in March 2021 before rising into a leadership role. Prosecutors attributed more than $6 million in losses involving over 100 victims directly to his conduct between March 2021 and his arrest in August 2025.
Clayton said the operation specifically exploited older Americans who were particularly vulnerable to financial fraud.
"Trought and his co-conspirators allegedly exploited trust, age, and hope for profit, including by taking control of victims' bank accounts and routing stolen money to Jamaica," he said.
As part of his plea agreement, Trought agreed to forfeit $6,166,227 in assets and pay restitution to victims. The conspiracy charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, although the final punishment will be determined by U.S. District Judge Vincent Briccetti at sentencing.
