Two men who tricked seniors on phone out of $4 million sentenced in Charlotte
Some people give their child to God when they are born. Roger Roger, 41, thinks his parents gave him to the devil.
He reasons that’s why he turned to substances before getting into more severe crimes as he got older. Roger also thinks that’s why he became the ring leader of a Costa Rica-based telemarketing scheme that defrauded over 400 people out of $4 million, he said at a Tuesday morning sentencing in federal court in Charlotte.
But at age 37 in a Costa Rican prison — where he stayed before being extradited to North Carolina in February 2023 — Roger called out to God for the first time. Since then — he told a judge Tuesday — he thinks whatever punishment he receives is God’s will disciplining him.
“This has been a growth situation for me,” Roger said.
Roger, previously of Hialeah, Florida, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay victims over $3.3 million on Tuesday morning. The scheme impacted over 400 people, including at least 10 victims over the age of 55. Roger was convicted of four counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, two counts of international money laundering and one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
Along with Roger, David Michael Nigh, 56, of Oklahoma, received a sentence of 21 months, including an order to pay $41,000 to compensate the three individuals he victimized. Nigh was charged with wire and mail fraud.
Before their sentencing, Roger and Nigh were deeply apologetic.
“I feel like I could be the dumbest person on the planet,” Nigh said.
How the scam worked
Roger organized the scheme, operating as the supervisor of the telemarketing sweepstakes call center in Costa Rica. Nigh acted as one of the telemarketers.
The telemarketers called victims in the United States, including the elderly, and convinced them they had won a sweepstakes prize. Telemarketers told victims they needed to send funds or taxes to claim the prize.
Once the victim sent money, the telemarketers called back, claiming there was a mistake or the prize had increased, leading to an additional request for fees and taxes. The defendants used aliases and technology to appear as if they were calling from Washington, D.C., or other places around the country, to conceal their identities.
The defendants and conspirators kept the money for their benefit and to continue the scheme. The conspiracy lasted from January 2014 and continued until about November 2017.
Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. said he wanted Roger to become an example, comparing his situation to a runaway train. Once the train gets rolling, someone is responsible for everything it harms along the way.
This story was originally published July 16, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
