LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Metro police have arrested 12 people as part of several investigations into the theft of millions of dollars, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned.
In all, nearly two dozen victims have handed over $3 million to fraudsters who pose as representatives from a financial institution or internet company, LVMPD Capt. Noel Roberts said.
“Our victims will receive something electronically through an email, through a text message, through a pop-up — for them to click on a link, which then directs them to their financial institution, what they believe is their financial institution,” Roberts said. “And they believe that they’ve been compromised.”
The victim will then believe they need to take out large sums of cash and hand it over for security.
“And [the scammers] send a courier to come pick up the money that they’re going to keep it in safekeeping while they investigate what had happened to their financial account,” Roberts said.
The 8 News Now Investigators first reported two of the arrests last fall. In that investigation, police said Guo Zhongquin, 43; and Lin Lin, 45; stole large amounts of money from victims who believed their personal information was hacked or that they had signed up for a service for which they did not pay.
Last August, a woman filed a police report saying she paid two men $70,000 after her computer was hacked, documents said. The woman told police the message on her computer said “all of her personal information was in jeopardy of being stolen and used,” so she called the number on the screen and handed over the money.
During the phone call, a person instructed the woman to pay two $35,000 payments to two runners whom she met at two different locations across the Las Vegas valley, documents said.
Police reviewed surveillance video of the two handoffs, finding a vehicle involved that matched a California registration for Zhongqui, they said.
About two weeks later, a second person reported a similar incident to Metro police. That person received an email about charges for a technology company. The person later deposited a large amount of cash, but the transaction did not clear. However, a person, believed to be Zhongqui or Lin, came to the victim’s house and retrieved $28,000 in cash.
Lin and Zhongqui are in the United States as political refugees from China, their attorney said. Both men took plea deals on a charge of possession of stolen property, court documents said. Neither admitted guilt but took Alford pleas, meaning they agreed prosecutors had enough evidence to sway a jury.
“I just want to apologize to all the victims,” Zhongqui said through the help of a translator during his sentencing last month. Lin also apologized.
As part of the plea deal, prosecutors agreed not to argue for prison time equal to more than 19-48 months, records said. Clark County District Court Judge Tara Clark Newberry sentenced the pair to that time frame, ordering them to pay restitution.
Roberts implored anyone who feels they fell victim to alert police.
“Don’t be embarrassed,” he said. “Come forward right away. Let us know, and that way, the sooner our detectives can start this investigation, we have a better chance of solving the case, arresting the suspects, and ultimately getting the money back.”
Metro police and the FBI warn consumers to be aware of the authenticity of any suspicious email or alert: Companies will not suddenly demand access.
Anyone who believes they are the victim of any online fraudulent activity can report it directly to Metro by calling 311 or the FBI at ic3.gov. The FBI also offers information on its website about how to spot the most common scams and cybercrime.
8 News Now Investigator David Charns can be reached at dcharns@8newsnow.com.
