Three people have been arrested in connection with an Asian money laundering ring that scammed more than $3 million from its victims, Colleyville police said.
Police said they arrested Robert J. Lang, 67, and Ke Xu, 56, on Monday on charges of engaging in organized crime, exploitation of the elderly, money laundering and theft from the elderly. It’s unclear whether they have attorneys.
A third person, 28-year-old Lin Qiu, was arrested in connection with the scam in September, police said. It’s unclear what charges she faces or whether she has an attorney.
Police said their investigation began in March when someone reported being tricked into buying thousands of dollars in gift cards after being told they owed money for an antivirus scan.
Authorities eventually uncovered several gift card scams that victimized people across the United States and eventually transferred the money to China. The scammers would redeem the gift cards as quickly as four minutes after they were purchased and in many cases would redeem them in different states than they were purchased in.
Authorities have confiscated more than $681,000 worth of gift cards, police said.
Colleyville police Lang, Qiu and Xu were being held in the Tarrant County jail, but they did not appear in jail records Tuesday.
“These arrests are a small victory in a complex investigation that has targeted a large portion of the population, including many elderly victims,” Colleyville police Chief Michael C. Miller said in a written statement.
Legitimate businesses or government agencies will never ask for payment through a gift card, the Federal Trade Commission says. People who are 65 or older who have been victimized by financial fraud can seek help through the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311.
