Illinois AG Charges Man in Fake PCH Prize Scam
Published · Gamebridge News
A letter says you won millions. There is just one catch: you have to pay first. That is the oldest prize trick around, and Illinois prosecutors say it is still working on seniors.
On October 28, 2026, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced charges against Frank Zarnay, 75, of Hometown, Illinois. The case was filed in Cook County Circuit Court.
According to the Attorney General’s office, Zarnay is accused of stealing more than $100,000 from seniors across the country using a fake Publishers Clearing House prize.
Raoul alleges the scheme worked like this. Victims were told they had won a Publishers Clearing House prize worth millions of dollars. They were then told they had to send money to Zarnay to claim the winnings.
The charges are serious. They include one count of Class 1 felony theft, nine counts of Class 2 felony theft, two counts of Class 3 felony theft, one count of Class 4 felony attempted theft and seven counts of Class 3 felony mail fraud.
“The defendant targeted elderly victims with promises of financial security and then scammed them out of thousands of dollars,” Raoul said in the release.
The Attorney General’s office investigated the case. Zarnay’s next court date is set for December 14. As the office points out, he is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
The lesson is simple and worth repeating to older relatives. A real prize never asks you to pay a fee, tax or “processing charge” before you get it. If a winner notice asks for money first, stop and check with the company directly using contact details you find yourself, not the ones in the letter or call.
Our take: honest business does not ask for blind trust. At Gamebridge, every client gets an empty account to check before paying, so you can see the backend working first. Questions? Email info@gamebridgedistributor.com or message us for price on WhatsApp.