https://www.nbcnews.com/news/u...cia-director-n970626

Telephone scam artist picked the wrong target — former FBI and CIA director William Webster



Keniel Thomas, 29, from Jamaica, pleaded guilty in October to interstate communication with the intent to extort, federal authorities said.

He was sentenced to 71 months in prison last week by U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell in Washington, D.C., and will be deported after he has served his term, officials said.

Thomas made his first call to Webster on June 9, 2014, identifying himself as David Morgan. He said that he was the head of the Mega Millions lottery and that Webster was the winner of $15.5 million and a 2014 Mercedes Benz, according to court documents.

Little did Thomas know that he was targeting the man who had served as President Jimmy Carter's FBI chief and President Ronald Reagan's CIA boss.

"It seemed to me that something wasn't quite right," Webster, 94, said in an interview Tuesday with "NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt." "This was pretty obvious to me that there was something fishy about it."

Thomas told Webster and his wife, Lynda, that they must pay him $50,000 to cover the taxes on the prize, authorities said.

The Websters notified the FBI, and the agency recorded follow-up calls the couple had with Thomas.

Thomas later told the Websters that they had actually won a $72 million package. He began to grow impatient when they didn't pay him and began threatening them, saying he had been spying on the couple, prosecutors said.

"He terrified me," Lynda Webster told NBC News. "He told me that what the sniper's bullet would do to my head and the blood would go onto my white house."

Thomas was arrested by federal officials Dec. 18, 2017, at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City as he arrived to visit friends.

Lynda Webster said she and her husband have received calls from scammers in the past, but Thomas stood out.

"This is just one of many scammers that call him and call me. And what made this different though is that this particular gentleman was vile," she said. "He was nasty, he was frightening — terrifying is a word I use often. The others were nice and after I got involved or he got nasty with them, they gave up eventually. This one was different."

Lynda Webster said if she and her husband can be targeted, anyone is a potential victim.

"Everybody's vulnerable — every grandmother, every grandfather. I mean, I'm over 60 — I get called now," she said.

"They're very believable at first. And they're talking to people who probably in their age range would love to have a $1 million dollars or $50 million dollars. So, it's something they want to hear, `Oh I won some money.' It's very easy to fall prey to these terrible actors, I mean they're great actors, but they're terrible people."

Good! Finally a scammer got his.

But I doubt you or me would elect the same response if the scammer had called one of us and we contacted the FBI.

I'd love to see a mugshot of this sack of shit.


Karma, baby. 7+ billion people in the world, and you screw with that guy. Karma.

I bet it was the "Man" in a weird accent after every sentence that clued them in that it was a scam.

Though I love the fact that they got the shit heel, I can't feel great about the story as a whole. They only reason anyone did anything about it was due to the fact that William Webster has ties to some powerful people. If someone on this forum had the same thing happen, the .gov wouldn't give two shits about us and exactly zero would be done to go after said shit heel.

There And a half years to get his nuts in a Vise?

0-0

I wish we had the power of the former FBI director. Glad to see someone facing consequences for their actions. Was this just serendipity that he got this guy on the phone?

Its great this scumbag gets jailed. OTH, can I call Willy Webster the next time my Credit Card gets hacked?

I met Director Webster in November (at an event to honor Adm. McRaven). He's still sharp as a tack and this story made me giggle a little bit. No, I lie....a hearty laugh.

"so I just called the Bureau...."

Good job, ole chap!

I hope that's the SOB that used to call my mother every day....

then again why does it take one of these jerks calling an Ex FBI/CIA official to get any results... what about the rest of the citizens of this country?

I like to sexually harass scammers and telemarketers.

So, Amy is from Jamaica. Who woulda thunk it?

So you have to call a former CIA and FBI director to actually get anyone of these fucks arrested, nice. And people wonder why normal folks are pissed as hell about Hillary not getting arrested.

Listen I'm glad the shitbag is getting proper fucked and I know that the feds can't chase down every lead, but half of me wishes Mr. Director would have gotten the same bullshit line we all have gotten, there is nothing we can do, you didn't lose any money so there are no damages, we can't waste time on these little things we have murderers to catch. I would love to see the look on his face then.

Apt justice

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:
I like to sexually harass scammers and telemarketers.

I'd like to shoot them.

Just yesterday, I'm driving my mom around in her car and she's asking me some questions about how to answer and hangup the phone through the car's built in voice setup. The phone rings and I show my mom that she can press the green button to answer the call. My mom says "Hello" the voice on the other end replies "Grandma? It's so good the hear you, grandma." This is where I show my mom that pressing the red button hangs the phone up. I happen to know my mom's three grandchildren pretty well and I haven't given them cell phones yet.

From the criminal complaint

https://www.courtlistener.com/...ted-states-v-thomas/

Keniel Thomas contacted Webster at Webster's Wash DC office.

The caller said he was "David Morgan".

The caller said he knew Webster had been a judge.

The caller gave his email as:

kenielthomas@outlook.com

and gave the Jamaican phone number used by Keniel Thomas

"David Morgan" told Webster's wife that if she didn't pay $6000, the caller would hire a sniper to kill her and Webster.

Webster's wife told the caller it would not be worth killing them, and that the FBI and CIA would be looking for him afterward.

The caller said the FBI and CIA could never find him .

The caller said he had conducted surveillance of the Webster house the previous night. He said it was a white brick house and no one was home that night.

The caller called again, and again threatened to kill them both.

Apparently stupid does still hurt, if you've got friends in high enough places.

quote:

Originally posted by wcb6092:
I bet it was the "Man" in a weird accent after every sentence that clued them in that it was a scam.

'Mon'.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:
I like to sexually harass scammers and telemarketers.

I'd like to shoot them.

I had one tonight threaten to give me a punch. "Come here. I give you punch in the face. I kill you tonight."

Touchy, touchy.

He wouldn't get anywhere with me. I've never bought a lottery ticket.

flashguy