A Chinese national, Jiaan Cao, has been indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney. Cao, 33, is currently detained and faces a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
The indictment outlines that from October 2024 to December 12, 2024, Cao allegedly conspired with others to carry out a wire fraud scheme. This involved gaining unauthorized access to a victim's computer and impersonating representatives from the victim's financial institution. The conspirators reportedly informed victims that their accounts were compromised by fraudulent or criminal activities.
Subsequently, victims were directed to withdraw funds and purchase gold, which they would then hand over to a conspirator who traveled to collect it. Throughout this operation, electronic communications among conspirators included details about the victims' locations.
It is important to note that an indictment is only a formal charge and does not imply guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations alongside the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg will be leading the prosecution of this case.
