United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced on Aug. 4 the arrest of Yongbo Li, 36, Huashan Lu, 62, and Yuxiang Zhao, 60, following a criminal complaint for conspiracy to commit mail fraud in Orlando, Florida. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison.
According to the criminal complaint, Li, Lu, Zhao and others participated in an organized scheme that targeted victims through telephone calls, emails and Internet pop-up messages. The communications falsely claimed that victims’ personal information and financial accounts were compromised and urged immediate action to resolve the fabricated issue. The complaint states that this action usually involved mailing cashier’s checks, money orders or cash to P.O. boxes around the Orlando area. Twenty-eight victims have been identified so far; most are elderly.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said, “A criminal complaint is merely a formal document supporting an arrest warrant that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.”
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Orlando Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Flanigan will prosecute the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced creation of its National Fraud Enforcement Division with a mission “to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars.” Department efforts support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance.