NEW YORK, United States — A Jamaican couple have been extradited from Jamaica to the United States to face fraud and bail jumping charges, following a scheme that allegedly defrauded more than 20 elderly victims of over US$1.7 million.

Swayne Barker and Ricki Rickaline Gibbs arrived in the United States on August 27, 2026, and were presented before US Magistrate Judge Andrew Krause.

Barker faces charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering and receiving stolen money in connection with the alleged scheme. 

Gibbs was previously sentenced to 51 months in prison for her role in the scheme and now faces an additional charge of failing to surrender for service of her sentence after fleeing to Jamaica.

According to the superseding indictment and statements made in public filings and court proceedings, Barker and Gibbs participated in the scheme from at least 2019 through 2023.

Victims were allegedly contacted by phone or text and told they had won sweepstakes prizes, including large sums of money and luxury cars. They were then instructed to transfer money to pay purported taxes and fees before receiving their winnings.

In reality, the victims had not won any prizes, and the money was allegedly misappropriated by Barker, Gibbs and others.

The victims were instructed to send money through mailed checks, money orders, Vanilla Visa gift cards and cash concealed in books, as well as through wire and Zelle transfers.

The alleged perpetrators also used romance scam tactics to persuade victims to continue making payments.

Gibbs, a dual citizen of Jamaica and the United States, allegedly participated in the scheme from New York and Jamaica, alongside co-conspirators in Jamaica, including Barker, who is a Jamaican citizen.

Gibbs was sentenced by US District Judge Kenneth M. Karas on January 7, 2026, and ordered to surrender on February 9.

Instead, according to the indictment, she fled to Jamaica. 

She was arrested there in April 2026 pursuant to a US provisional arrest warrant.

In addition to the new bail-jumping charge, Gibbs has been extradited to serve her pending 51-month prison sentence, followed by three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay forfeiture of US$1,018,703 and restitution of US$1,379,402.

Barker faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. He also faces a conspiracy to receive stolen money charge, which carries a maximum sentence of five years.

Gibbs’ failure-to-surrender charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.