Licking County, Ohio – A 42-year-old Chinese national, Liwei Zhang, has been arrested and charged in connection with an elaborate scam that allegedly defrauded an Ohio resident out of $27,000. According to the Licking County Sheriff’s Office, Zhang is facing a felony theft charge following a sting operation that led to his arrest.
Authorities say the victim was initially contacted by someone claiming that their Apple ID had been compromised. The caller, whose identity remains unknown and is believed to be part of a larger fraudulent network, convinced the victim that their financial assets were at risk. In a calculated scheme, the caller instructed the victim to “secure” their funds by physically handing them over to a supposed representative — who turned out to be Liwei Zhang.
Zhang allegedly arrived in person at the victim’s residence, where he collected $27,000 in cash. The victim, believing they were cooperating with a legitimate Apple security protocol, complied without resistance.
However, the situation escalated when, on May 12, the victim received another call from the same source. This time, the scammer requested an additional $20,000, citing continued threats to the victim’s digital and financial security.
Unbeknownst to the perpetrator, the Licking County Sheriff’s Office had already been alerted to the initial incident. Detectives coordinated with the victim and set up a controlled environment to catch the suspect in the act. When Zhang returned to the victim’s residence for the second cash pickup, a detective was waiting to intercept him.
Zhang was immediately arrested at the scene without incident and taken into custody. He is currently being held on felony theft charges and is expected to face additional scrutiny as investigators probe whether he acted alone or is part of a broader international scam operation targeting unsuspecting individuals through digital deception.
“This case is a stark reminder of how convincing and dangerous modern scams can be,” said a spokesperson from the Licking County Sheriff’s Office. “We urge residents to be extremely cautious when receiving unsolicited calls about compromised accounts, especially when they involve requests for money or personal information.”
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are working with federal partners to determine if Zhang has any ties to organized criminal activity or if similar scams have occurred elsewhere in Ohio or across state lines.
Liwei Zhang is expected to appear in court later this week. Law enforcement continues to encourage anyone who may have been targeted by similar scams to report them immediately.
Safety Tips for the Public:
- Never give money to someone who contacts you out of the blue, especially regarding tech support or account security.
- Verify directly with the company through official channels if you receive a suspicious call about your account.
- Report suspicious behavior to local law enforcement or to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
As the case against Zhang develops, it serves as a cautionary tale in an increasingly digital world where scammers exploit fear and urgency to deceive their victims.