Facebook Lottery Scam: Minnesota Woman Allegedly Swindles $117,000 in Fake Charity Raffles

Kathryn Jean Deblack, a resident of Hibbing on Minnesota's Iron Range, is facing charges for allegedly orchestrating an illegal lottery through Facebook, resulting in her pocketing over $117,000. Authorities claim that despite multiple warnings from law enforcement, Deblack persisted in conducting these fraudulent raffles over a 10-month period, involving approximately 200 participants.

Deblack's scheme involved duping participants into believing that their donations were going to local charities. However, an investigation revealed that the funds collected, totaling $117,723.57, were not being donated as promised.

The alleged illegal raffles were carried out through a Facebook page named "Iron Range Razzles." Participants were enticed with the prospect of acquiring brand-new items at a fraction of their retail price by purchasing numbered spots. Winners were selected using a random number generator.

In one Facebook post, Deblack instructed participants to use emojis in Venmo payments' descriptions instead of using the word "raffle," seemingly attempting to evade detection. When initially confronted by an investigator, Deblack insisted that the prizes were donated to a charity named "Operation 120." However, further inquiry revealed that she had made only one donation to the nonprofit and never followed up on legal requirements.

Initially, the case was closed as an "educational matter" by the investigator. However, the Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division (AGED) received another complaint in November 2021, accusing Deblack of selling 100 tickets at $120 each for a chance to win her 2018 Grizzly 700 Special Edition ATV. She was allegedly accepting payments through PayPal and Venmo, pledging to donate $1,000 to the Schnorr Mudfest charity event. The investigation uncovered that the raffles were far from legitimate, and Deblack's actions have resulted in serious legal consequences.