Queens man admits role in mass-mailing scheme that falsely promised prizes

A Queens man admitted Wednesday to his role in a mass-mailing scheme that federal prosecutors said promised elderly and vulnerable victims prizes that never arrived.

Scott Gammon, 47, faces up to 20 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to fraud conspiracy, according to the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York in Central Islip.

Federal prosecutors have described the crime as a "multimillion-dollar mass-mailing scheme" although it wasn't clear how much money was made during the enterprise.

Four people from Long Island have also pleaded guilty to committing mail fraud conspiracy. Eight defendants in total have pleaded guilty to roles in the scheme.

According to prosecutors, between August 2014 and August 2019, Gammon sent "fraudulent prize notification mailings" to thousands of consumers and persuaded them to pay a fee. No one received a prize after paying a fee, prosecutors said.

Gammon "admitted he deceived elderly and vulnerable victims into believing they had won cash prizes by inducing them to pay bogus ‘fees’ to him and his co-conspirators," said Breon Peace, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, in a news release.

Fraud prize schemes can "often cause victims, including the elderly" to send money over false promises, said Brian M. Boynton, principal deputy assistant attorney general in a news release.