A Jamaican man, Sherwayne Benjamin Bellinfantie, a.k.a. “Ice Man,” has been extradited to the United States to face charges related to a romance and sweepstakes scheme that targeted an Arizona resident.
A federal grand jury in Tucson indicted Bellinfantie in March 2022 for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. Bellinfantie was arrested in Jamaica on an extradition warrant on July 3, 2023.
According to the Department of Justice, the indictment alleges that from December 2015 through January 2019, Bellinfantie and his co-conspirators participated in a romance and sweepstakes scheme targeting an elderly 85-year-old resident of Vail, Arizona. Using a fictitious name, Bellinfantie and his co-conspirators deceived the victim by leading her to believe she was engaged in a romantic relationship. In furtherance of the scheme, one of the co-conspirators would send flowers with love messages to the victim’s residence. The co-conspirators also falsely represented to the victim that she had won the lottery or another monetary prize to induce her into sending them money to pay “taxes” or other “fees.” As a result of the scheme, the victim lost over $400,000.
A conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering each carries a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison.
the Arizona State Prison system welcomes our new member “ICE MAN” for the next 2 decades.. Good Luck Mr. Ice Man – you’ll never see the light of day again.. I’m sure one of many – one being my friend who your ilk took advantage of after the passing of his wife. NO EXCUSE! Ice Man.