EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A 76-year-old Belleville resident was targeted in a brazen fraud scheme, losing over $70,000 to a con artist posing as a federal agent. Zhigang Lian, 42, of La Puente, California, has been indicted on federal charges in connection with the scam, according to authorities.
The scheme began June 13th with a scam text message mimicking an Apple security alert, claiming a suspicious $258 transaction. When the victim called to dispute it, they were immediately connected to scammers who escalated the situation. The fraudsters directed the victim to the Federal Trade Commission – a tactic to lend credibility to their lies – before introducing a key player: Zhigang Lian, who falsely presented himself as a federal agent.
Lian allegedly convinced the victim their identity had been stolen and that the only way to protect their assets was to withdraw all funds from their bank accounts. On June 17th, the victim handed over $25,000 to an accomplice. Lian himself then arrived on July 1st, collecting an additional $45,000. Illinois State Police officers were waiting and took Lian into custody immediately after the cash exchange.
“Federal authorities will never call to demand your personal or financial information over the phone, notify you that you’re a victim of identity theft, ask you to send cryptocurrency or travel to your home to pick up money,” warned U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Scammers are preying on vulnerable victims through imposter scams, but the U.S. Attorney’s Office is using its full legal authority to hold offenders accountable.” The investigation was a collaborative effort between the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Illinois State Police Metropolitan Enforcement Group Special Investigations.
Acting Resident Agent in Charge David Bolin of the U.S. Secret Service – Springfield Resident Office, stressed the predatory nature of these schemes: “Criminal fraudsters are constantly devising new schemes aimed at intimidating innocent, often elderly, victims and scaring them into parting with their hard-earned money.” Ruth Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Chicago Division, added that her agency actively investigates fraud schemes utilizing the mail system.
Lian is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment and fines up to $250,000. An indictment is not a finding of guilt, and Lian is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Gross is prosecuting the case.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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