Florida man charged in Jamaica-based lottery scheme

MIAMI (AP) - A Florida man has been arrested for allegedly participating in a Jamaica-based lottery scam.

Court documents say authorities confronted Rowan George Hemmings in 2013 about a package addressed to him by a victim of the scheme.

Victims in the U.S. were told they won a lottery, but they needed to mail several thousand dollars to collect their winnings. According to court documents, middlemen wired the money to Jamaica. The Federal Trade Commission reports $39 million dollars lost to such scams in 2013.

Authorities say Hemmings agreed to stop receiving the victims' money. But last month, authorities say they identified a package addressed to Hemmings from another victim.

Hemmings, of Homestead, was arrested this week on mail fraud charges. A man answering Hemmings' phone Friday said Hemmings was in custody. His arraignment is Feb. 18.

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