2 New Yorkers Indicted in Scams on Elderly in Ohio
Udumbara
Two New Yorkers have been indicted for allegedly scamming elderly residents in Ohio.
Their alleged scam ran from May to June in 2024 and caused victims in Ohio to lose more than $201,000, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors explained that in a typical grandparent scam, criminals would often impersonate law enforcement officials or other authority figures to fool their elderly victims into believing that their grandchildren had violated the law. The victims would then be told they must provide immediate financial assistance to help get their loved ones out of legal trouble.
In the tech support scams, prosecutors said criminals would make up lies, telling their elderly victims that their electronic devices or online accounts had been breached. The unsuspecting victims would be made to believe that they must pay to resolve the issues.
Shi and Zhong allegedly worked with co-conspirators after they had successfully convinced their victims to withdraw money from their bank accounts, according to the indictment. The defendants would have individuals called “fraud callers” contact the victims to find out their addresses and other information. Then, persons called “fraud couriers” would be given the task of picking up the money from their victims.
The indictment said there were also cases where victims sent their money to addresses that members of the conspiracy controlled.
The illegal proceeds were allegedly laundered across state lines via different methods, prosecutors said.
“Shi and other co-conspirators routed proceeds and assets traced to proceeds, through various cryptocurrency accounts, including to accounts controlled by persons in the People’s Republic of China,” the indictment states.
Zhong has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering. Shi faces an additional charge of concealment of money laundering.
Shi and Zhong both face up to 20 years in prison.
The Epoch Times contacted Shi’s lawyer for comment but didn’t receive a response by publication time. Information on Zhong’s lawyer was not immediately available.
This case arises less than two weeks after Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik of the Northern District of Ohio issued a warning in connection with Elder Abuse Awareness Month in June.
“Scammers will even pretend to be government officials and frighten seniors into giving them their money using elaborate stories and tactics. We’ve seen some individuals lose their entire life savings. Together with our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners, we’ll investigate and prosecute these perpetrators to protect our seniors.”
In addition to grandparent and tech support scams, criminals are also targeting seniors with lottery scams, romance or friendship scams, and schemes involving impersonation of government agents, among others, according to Skutnik.
In terms of government agent schemes, Skutnik said that criminals could impersonate IRS agents to convince their targets that they owe back taxes, or pose as Social Security employees and tell their victims that they have an account problem.
Xinxing Chen, 32, from Flushing, New York, and Yaolong Zhou, 37, from Chicago, are in the United States on work visas. The two allegedly told a victim by phone and text messages that his bank “was compromised and that his money was no longer safe at the bank,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
