A 27-year-old Chinese national, Dongyi Guo, has been indicted on charges of defrauding an elderly woman in Missouri out of $95,000. The indictment was filed in the U.S. District Court in St. Louis on May 8, where Guo faced one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to the indictment, a group of conspirators targeted elderly victims through phone calls and electronic messages, deceiving them into handing over their cash. Couriers like Guo were then dispatched to collect the money from these victims.
The arrest came after scammers contacted a 79-year-old woman in Knox County, Missouri. The scammers impersonated representatives from financial institutions and the Social Security office across multiple conversations. They informed her that her accounts had been compromised and that she needed to pay cash to prevent her funds from being stolen.
The indictment reveals that Guo collected $40,000 from the victim on March 4, followed by another $35,000 the next day and $20,000 on March 6. He was apprehended on March 7 while attempting to collect an additional $15,000.
If convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Guo could face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or both.
However, it should be noted that charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The investigation into this case was carried out by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI with Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman leading the prosecution.
The Justice Department urges anyone aged 60 or older who has fallen victim to financial fraud to contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). Managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, this hotline can provide information and resources to assist in reporting the crime and potentially recovering losses. The hotline operates from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, with services available in English, Spanish, and other languages. Additionally, the Federal Trade Commission offers a hotline at 877-FTC-HELP and a website at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov for receiving consumer complaints.
