A federal indictment in Providence, Rhode Island, charges eight individuals for their involvement in a transnational fraud and money laundering scheme targeting elderly citizens in the United States and Canada. Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom announced the charges.
The accused allegedly orchestrated a scheme involving pop-up messages on seniors' computers. These messages, designed to look like they came from well-known technology companies, falsely claimed that victims' financial accounts were compromised or that they were targets of criminal investigations. Victims were then directed to call a "live agent," who would further deceive them into transferring funds or purchasing gold bars for supposed protection.
Law enforcement has identified approximately 300 victims across at least 37 states, with known losses exceeding $5 million. Investigators also found a bank account suspected of laundering an additional $16 million in fraud-related funds.
Among those charged are Nanjun Song from Brooklyn, NY; Jirui Liu from Scarborough, Ontario; Xiang Li from Flushing, NY; Xuehai Sun from Flushing, NY; Fangzheng Wang from Westborough, MA; Cynthia Jia Sun from Houston, TX; Zhenyang Xin from Hamilton, Ontario; and Wing Kit Ho from Markham, Ontario. The defendants face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise M. Barton is prosecuting the case. The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Providence and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation as part of the Rhode Island Homeland Security Task Force.
Acting United States Attorney Bloom expressed gratitude to various law enforcement agencies involved in apprehending the defendants. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations.
