The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced on the 12th that eight Chinese nationals who entered the United States on F-1 student visas have been formally indicted by a federal grand jury. They are suspected of orchestrating and participating in a multi-state telecommunication fraud scheme specifically targeting senior citizens, with illegal gains exceeding $10 million (42.55 million Malaysian Ringgit).
According to the indictment, the fraud took place between August 2023 and February 2024. The suspects used so-called 'computer pop-up security alerts' to send false information to victims, claiming that their bank accounts or computer systems had been compromised, luring them to contact 'technical support' or 'federal agencies.'
Posing as Federal Law Enforcement Officers
Prosecutors pointed out that members of the fraud ring would then act as federal law enforcement officers, visiting victims at home and falsely claiming to 'protect their funds,' while actually stealing large amounts of cash. Records show that this group operated in 19 states across the country, with more than 50 victims, most of whom were elderly.
It is reported that all defendants were living in the U.S. as international students.
Facing Up to 20 Years in Prison
The case is being jointly investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with Assistant U.S. Attorney Lloyd prosecuting.
According to federal law, if convicted, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, a period of supervised release, and fines, among other penalties. The final sentence will be determined by the court based on comprehensive sentencing guidelines.