, Fla. — Volusia County deputies said they arrested two men in connection with a nationwide courier scam that defrauded an 85-year-old Deltona man of $6,000.
Jo’vani Newton and Michael Shackelford Jr. face charges of organized scheme to defraud after detectives used a decoy package to catch them in Daytona Beach.
Detectives believe the suspects are part of a larger criminal network based in South Florida that uses ride-share drivers to transport stolen money.
The scam began when the victim received a phone call from an individual impersonating a representative from his bank.
Following the caller’s instructions, the man withdrew $6,000 in cash. An Uber driver, acting as an unwitting courier, picked up the money and delivered it to a specific address in Daytona Beach.
The following day, the scammers contacted the victim again to request additional funds.
At that point, detectives from the Financial Crimes Unit intervened and prepared a decoy package.
The fake delivery was sent to the same Daytona Beach address used in the initial transaction.
Newton, 22, of Miramar, was arrested after he accepted the package, deputies said.
Investigators identified Shackelford, 20, of Daytona Beach, as the driver of a black Hyundai Elantra that dropped Newton off at the pickup site.
Both men were booked into the Volusia County jail.
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