SCRANTON – A brazen wire fraud scheme has landed two New York men in hot water, with federal authorities accusing them of swindling elderly victims out of nearly $300,000.
Sun Tong Lin, 37, and Xueliang Chen, 36, both of Staten Island, New York, were indicted on December 17, 2024, by a federal grand jury on wire fraud and conspiracy charges, announced United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam.
The indictment alleges that Lin and Chen convinced their victims that their online accounts or bank accounts were not secure, convincing them to withdraw large sums of cash and hand it over to an ‘agent’ for safekeeping. In reality, the money was being stolen from the victims.
Many of the victims were elderly, and the indictment alleges that the defendants stole approximately $288,000 from at least nine victims and attempted to steal another $50,000 from one victim in Tioga County.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni is prosecuting the case.
The maximum total penalty under federal law for these offenses is 40 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Lin and Chen are presumed innocent until found guilty in court. The indictment serves as a reminder of the importance of being cautious when dealing with unsolicited financial requests, especially from individuals you may not know.
Related Federal Cases
- Xerxes Shevar, Wire Fraud Conspiracy, Pennsylvania 2025 · New York
- Marcela Heredia, Wire Fraud, California 2009 · Puerto Rico
- Richard J. Harley, Investment Fraud, Pennsylvania 2015 · New York
- Funmilayo Aliyu, Tax Refund Fraud, Pennsylvania 2024 · New York
- Osakwe Ismael Osagbue, Mail and Wire Fraud, Maryland 2024 · Alabama
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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