⏱ 3 min read
A Chinese national, Zhao Wang, aka ‘Oscar’, has been sentenced to 12.5 years in prison for masterminding a $27 million multinational fraud and money laundering scheme that targeted over 2,000 elderly victims across the United States. The scheme, which operated out of San Diego, involved a series of technical support, bank impersonation, and government impersonation scams, as well as refund scams. Wang and his co-conspirators used social engineering techniques to build trust with their victims, often convincing them to download remote desktop software that allowed the scammers to access their computers.
The refund scams were particularly common, with victims being told they were entitled to a small refund from a retailer for an alleged unauthorized charge. The scammers would then ‘accidentally’ over-refund the victim, instructing them to send the excess money back via wire transfer or cash in the mail. In reality, the victims had not been refunded any money and were simply being scammed out of their own cash.
Wang, who was the lead defendant in a five-defendant indictment unsealed in 2024, was sentenced in federal court in San Diego. He will serve 151 months in prison for his role in the scheme, which was carried out with the help of India-based scam call centers.
The sentence is a significant victory for law enforcement, who have been working to crack down on these types of scams that target vulnerable seniors. The case highlights the importance of being vigilant and cautious when receiving unsolicited phone calls or emails, and the need for seniors to be aware of the risks of these types of scams.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: California
- Location: CA
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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