A Jamaican man was extradited to the United States last week after allegedly conning a Vail woman out of more than $400,000.
Sherwayne Benjamin Bellinfantie, a.k.a. “Ice Man,” is facing charges relating to a romance and sweepstakes scheme that targeted the woman, according to a news release from the United States Attorney's Office, District of Arizona.
A federal grand jury in Tucson indicted Bellinfantie in 2022, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was arrested in Jamaica on an extradition warrant in July of 2023.
According to the news release, the indictment alleges that Bellinfantie and his co-conspirators targeted the 85-year-old Vail woman from December of 2015 through January of 2019.
One of Bellinfantie's co-conspirators would send flowers with love messages to the victim's residence, the news release said. Co-conspirators also told the victim that she had won the lottery or another monetary prize to get her to send them money to pay taxes or other fees, the news release said.
The victim lost more than $400,000 as a result, the news release said.
Each charge against Bellinfantie carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, the news release said.
