Nevada Man Duped Seniors in $27M Fraud Scheme; Charges Filed by Authorities
Las Vegas, NV- A man from Henderson is among a group of individuals who have been accused by federal prosecutors of defrauding senior citizens out of a staggering $27 million.
Four individuals from different cities in California and Nevada are facing charges, according to an indictment that was unsealed on Friday.
In April, Youfei Gong was arrested at his home in Southern California, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. All five individuals were identified as Chinese nationals.
According to the indictment, the five individuals and their accomplices were involved in a widespread fraud scheme that specifically targeted older individuals. Prosecutors have revealed that individuals were targeted through various methods such as pop-up ads, emails, and phone calls. These tactics were specifically designed to lure victims into contacting scam call centers.
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In numerous instances, individuals were directed to install remote desktop software, which was then utilized to gain unauthorized access to their computers. The individuals involved in the scheme would establish a sense of trust with their targets, convincing them to send money to other members of the group through wire transfers or mail packages.
According to prosecutors, the money would be laundered through cryptocurrency transactions by the conspirators.
Authorities have reported the discovery of approximately 2,000 individuals who have suffered financial losses exceeding $27 million from 2021 to 2023. Shockingly, this fraudulent scheme persisted until June of this year.
“Each day, con artists deceive vulnerable seniors into fraudulent schemes, aiming to unlawfully take their well-deserved money,” stated U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “It is important to exercise caution and seek advice from others before sending money to individuals who are only known through phone calls, texts, or online communication.”
Wang and the others are being charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, as well as conspiracy to launder money. If found guilty, they could potentially be sentenced to many years behind bars.
