A 30-year-old man from California has been sentenced to eight years in prison and ordered to pay $325,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to an internet scam that defrauded a Lawrence County couple.
Chao Zheng, of Monterey, CA, received his sentence Tuesday in Lawrence County Circuit Court. In February, he pleaded guilty to one felony count of Aiding and Abetting Grand Theft involving more than $100,000 but less than $500,000 by deception. As a Chinese national, Zheng may also face deportation.
“Thank you to the victims who had the courage to come forward to report this crime and the investigators for their work,” said Attorney General Jackley. “We encourage all consumers who receive such solicitations via the internet or telephone not to respond but to call law enforcement or someone you trust.”
The scam took place between July 26 and August 23, 2024, when the couple received pop-up messages on their laptop from a fake “Microsoft Security” alert. They were then directed to call a so-called fraud investigator at a bank and were pressured into paying large sums to cover fabricated criminal charges tied to their accounts. The couple sent payments on three separate occasions.
Zheng was caught on August 23, 2024, when he attempted to collect a fourth payment in person. Authorities are still working to determine the total amount stolen.
The investigation was conducted by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation and the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office and the Lawrence County State’s Attorney’s Office.
