Missouri woman jailed for $116,000 lottery scam

A Missouri woman has been sentenced to nearly two years in federal prison for her part in a sophisticated lottery and credit card fraud scheme.

Amy Young from Mount Vernon, was handed a 23-month sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, according to a federal news release.

Authorities say Young worked with accomplices to buy Missouri Lottery tickets using stolen and fraudulent credit cards at a gas station in Joplin over several weeks in July and August 2022.

The scheme didn’t stop at ticket purchases: the group enlisted other individuals to cash in winning tickets, falsely claiming more than $54,000 in lottery prizes.

Investigators determined the total loss from fraudulent credit card transactions and lottery payouts topped $116,000.

The case was investigated jointly by the FBI and the Joplin Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney.

Young’s sentence reflects the growing focus on cracking down on coordinated financial scams targeting state-run programs and local businesses.

Authorities have warned that such schemes not only defraud public institutions but also place additional strain on law enforcement and legitimate lottery participants.