Debt Relief Scam Lands Jamaican National in Federal Prison for 3 Years

Press Release

Defendant and Others Tricked Americans Into Applying for Bogus Debt Relief

WASHINGTON -- Sereika Savariau, 37, of Montego Bay, Jamaica, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for creating a series of fraudulent debt relief companies that targeted debt-ridden Americans and tricked the victims into paying fraudulent processing fees and disclosing sensitive personal identifying information. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Sally Luttrell of the Treasury Department, Office of Inspector General.

Savariau, also known as Sereika Savariau-Goodison, pleaded guilty on April 16, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta ordered Savariau to pay restitution to the victims.

As part of her guilty plea, Savariau admitted that from at least June 2016 through September 2018, she and other conspirators created and operated a series of fraudulent debt relief companies that tricked U.S. citizens into paying bogus processing fees and to disclose personal identifying information and identity documents. One of the fraudulent websites said consumers could receive up to $60,000 in government-funded aid to pay their bills. Another claimed consumers could receive up to $25,000 in annual debt relief.

Savariau admitted that through their false representations she and her co-conspirators tried to defraud U.S. victims out of more than $550,000. More than 50 individuals sent money to conspirators because of the scheme, most commonly through Western Union, believing the funds were service processing fees.

Savariau and her conspirators took advantage of people who were desperate to have their outstanding bills paid and improve their financial situation. Thinking they were to receive government-funded debt relief, victims eagerly sent their sensitive personal and financial information and paid exorbitant "processing fees" - approximately 14% of the requested debt relief. The nature of the scheme caused many victims to be victimized multiple times.

Conspirators also fraudulently used the victims' personal identifying information for other illegal purposes. In one example, a victim's information was used to create a PayPal account for use in the scheme. The information also was used to apply for and obtain an American Express pre-paid credit card. A different victim's name and address were used to register one of their fraudulent debt relief sites.

Savariau's conduct directly violated a prior judicial order issued in September 2015 by the Honorable Reggie B. Walton in Case No. 14-CV-1414 that, among other things, permanently restrained her and those working with her from misrepresenting to others that they would substantially reduce consumers' debts.

Savariau was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2021, arrested in Jamaica in July 2023, and extradited to the United States in September 2023.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Inspector General, the Justice Department's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Savariau.

The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Louisa Becker and Ashley Pungello of the Criminal Division's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman for the District of Columbia.

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Updated September 19, 2024