Thursday, March 05, 2009

Georgia Man Facing Foreclosure Charged With Commercial Gambling For Selling Raffle Tickets In Attempt To Sell Home

In Gwinnett County, Georgia, The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports:
  • A Lawrenceville man went from the poor house to the big house this week after he was arrested in connection with a raffle scam. Joseph Imafidon set up a website called Getmyhouse.net luring prospectors to buy raffle tickets for $100 each, said Stacey Bourbonnais, spokeswoman for the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Department.(1)

  • You can get this house for $100,” the Web site beckons. An appealing photograph shows a four-bedroom, two-and-a-half- bathroom home at 1791 Surrey Hill in Lawrenceville.

For more, see Lawrenceville man busted in house raffle scam.

(1) According to the story, Imafidon allegedly contacted the Sheriff’s Department in December to apply for a raffle license. His request was denied because raffle licenses are only granted to nonprofits or charity events. Bourbonnais said his request did not meet that criteria. Imafidon perpetuated the alleged scam for months despite repeated warnings from the Sheriff’s Department to shut down the website.