MI Woman Loses $200K In $5.5M Bogus Giveaway: MSP

VAN BUREN COUNTY, MI — A Michigan woman was scammed out of $200,000 after she thought she had won $5.5 million, police said Tuesday.

The 72-year-old Van Buren County woman told investigators that she was contacted by phone and told she had won a $5.5 million Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes prize, according to police.

But in order to claim the money, the caller told her she needed to pay taxes up front and convinced her to mail more than $200,000 to multiple addresses, according to police.

After investigating for months, officials arrested 56-year-old Donald Johnson Jr., of Morris County, New Jersey, in connection with the scam on Dec. 22, according to police.

He was charged with false pretenses greater than $50,000 but less than $100,000 and placed in the Van Buren County Jail with a $500,000 bond, according to police.

Investigators later determined more than $90,000 of the funds were sent to the suspect in New Jersey, according to police.

"As a reminder, legitimate sweepstakes do not require payment to claim winnings. Calls requesting money for prizes or taxes are likely scams," police said in a statement.