Jamaican Man Sefton 'Powa' Stewart Gets 6 Years for Fake Lottery Prize Scam That Took $3.4 Million

Published Oct. 19, 2026. Case status is current as of that date.

The call or letter says you have won a fortune, sometimes cash, sometimes a luxury car, in a multistate lottery. There is just one catch: you have to pay the taxes and fees before the prize can be released. On Oct. 16, 2026, federal prosecutors in Michigan announced that Sefton Olivair Stewart, also known as "Powa," 41, of Montego Bay, Jamaica, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison for his role in a scheme that used that exact story to take $3.4 million from 28 victims, including one in West Michigan [1].

Stewart was extradited from Jamaica and will be removed from the United States after serving his sentence, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Michigan said [1].

Status: Stewart pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and has been sentenced. A co-conspirator, Danielle Diarbakerly, pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and was sentenced earlier to 37 months [1][2].

How the scheme worked

According to federal prosecutors [1][2]:

1. The "win." Between October 2019 and September 2024, Stewart, Diarbakerly and others told people in the United States they had won large prizes, cash and luxury vehicles, in a multistate lottery.
2. The catch. To claim the prize, victims were told they first had to pay taxes and fees on their winnings.
3. The props. The conspirators used fake bank and U.S. government documents to convince some victims the prize and the fees were real.
4. The money trail. A large portion of the victims' money was ultimately sent to Jamaica, where Stewart lived and where a substantial part of the scheme was carried out, according to IRS Criminal Investigation.

None of it was true. "All of this was false," the U.S. Attorney's Office said [1].

Because at least one victim lived in West Michigan, the case was filed in Grand Rapids [2].

The people convicted

Sefton Olivair Stewart ("Powa"), 41, of Montego Bay, Jamaica. The U.S. Marshals Service extradited him from Jamaica to Grand Rapids in March 2026, according to IRS Criminal Investigation, and his guilty plea to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud was announced July 1, 2026. U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney sentenced him to 72 months [1][2]. (The October release dates the plea to July 2026, after his extradition.)

Danielle Diarbakerly, a Florida resident, pleaded guilty in August 2025 to conspiracy to launder money obtained in the scheme and was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison [2]. Her age and city were not given in the releases we reviewed.

"If you engage in fraud, we will find you no matter where you are, charge you, convict you and persuade a judge to put you in prison," U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said. "Stewart got that message today." [1]

Homeland Security Investigations' Grand Rapids office and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris O'Connor prosecuted the case [1].

Why this scam keeps working

Prize scams lean on hope and on official-looking paperwork. In this case, prosecutors said fake bank and government documents helped persuade victims. The IRS-CI release said the scheme "preyed on some of our most vulnerable citizens," in the words of U.S. Attorney VerHey [2].

The FTC's rule of thumb is simple: "If you have to pay to get your prize, it's a scam. Real prizes are free" [3].

Red flags

• You "won" a lottery or sweepstakes you never entered.
• You must pay taxes, fees, shipping or "insurance" before you can collect.
• The prize is a luxury car or a life-changing sum, and the caller pushes you to act fast.
• "Official" letters, bank statements or government certificates arrive to prove the prize is real.
• The caller or the payment trail leads overseas, including Jamaica. The FTC notes it is illegal to play a foreign lottery [3].

What to do

1. Never pay to collect a prize. Hang up, and don't call back numbers the "prize office" gives you.
2. Don't send cash, gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency to anyone promising winnings.
3. Talk to someone you trust before sending money, and check in on older relatives who mention a big win.
4. Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, your state attorney general, and, if the mail was involved, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service [3][4].
5. If you shared bank or personal details, call your bank and visit IdentityTheft.gov.

Case status (as of Oct. 19, 2026)

Defendant	Court	Status as of Oct. 19, 2026	Source
Sefton Olivair Stewart ("Powa"), 41, Montego Bay, Jamaica	Federal, W.D. Mich.	Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud (announced July 1, 2026); sentenced to 72 months (announced Oct. 16, 2026); to be removed from the U.S. after prison	[1], [2]
Danielle Diarbakerly, Florida	Federal, W.D. Mich.	Pleaded guilty August 2025 to money laundering conspiracy; sentenced to 37 months	[1], [2]

Statuses can change.

Sources

1. U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Michigan, "Jamaican Fraudster Extradited To Michigan Sentenced To Prison For His Role In Nationwide Fraud Scheme," Oct. 16, 2026. https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmi/pr/2026_1016_Stewart_Sentencing_PR
2. IRS Criminal Investigation, "Jamaican national extradited to West Michigan pleads guilty for his role in nationwide fraud scheme," July 1, 2026. https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/jamaican-national-extradited-to-west-michigan-pleads-guilty-for-his-role-in-nationwide-fraud-scheme
3. Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Advice, "Fake Prize, Sweepstakes, and Lottery Scams" (accessed Oct. 19, 2026). https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/fake-prize-sweepstakes-and-lottery-scams
4. U.S. Postal Inspection Service, "Report a Crime" (accessed Oct. 19, 2026). https://www.uspis.gov/report

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