Final Defendants Plead Guilty in $65 Million Senior Fraud Scheme Exposed With Help From YouTubers

The final two of 25 defendants pleaded guilty in a multinational fraud scheme that targeted thousands of elderly victims and involved $65 million, federal prosecutors announced October 26.

Haotian Zhang and Zetian Zhang entered guilty pleas the preceding Friday, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. Three additional defendants charged in the investigation remain fugitives.

U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson ordered Haotian Zhang into custody following his plea. Both men are scheduled to be sentenced January 29, 2027.

Operating since at least 2019, the network worked with India-based scam call centers whose callers impersonated technical support agents, government officials or bank employees, according to court records described by prosecutors.

Victims were instructed to withdraw large amounts of cash, conceal it in packages and ship it by express delivery to names and addresses supplied by the conspirators. The recipient names were fictitious and matched fake identification documents, while the delivery addresses belonged to short-term rental properties.

In their plea agreements, defendants admitted that conspirators arranged rentals around a central location, typically booked for about a week, with nearby properties reserved for shorter stays. Participants periodically moved the operation to new locations.

Prosecutors described the network as primarily composed of Chinese nationals, many of whom were in the United States illegally.

The investigation began in December 2020 after an elderly victim contacted an express mail carrier about cash sent because of a scam. Investigators subsequently discovered 11 packages containing approximately $135,000, all addressed to fictitious recipients at short-term rentals in the San Diego area.

Videos published by the YouTube channels Scammer Payback and Trilogy Media helped investigators identify participants and understand how the operation worked, prosecutors said.

Scammer Payback creator Pierogi documented interactions with India-based scam call centers and teamed with Trilogy Media to bait suspected scammers and confront participants on camera. Videos posted in 2020 and 2021 helped authorities identify several defendants and develop leads on higher-ranking members of the organization.

Two defendants, Zhiyi Zhang and Huajian Chen, acknowledged in their plea agreements that they appeared in videos confronting them about their involvement in the criminal activity.

Conspirators also laundered proceeds, concealed the fraudulent source of the cash shipments and used the money to compensate participants and cover travel expenses, according to prosecutors.

Federal agents conducted a coordinated series of arrests in August 2025 across California, New York, Texas and Michigan.

Among the recent pleas, Huajian Chen and Jianhao Gao admitted operating an unlicensed money transmission business. Other defendants pleaded guilty for their roles in the fraud and money laundering operation.

Two defendants have already received prison sentences: Bing Shen was sentenced to 70 months, and Na Rong received 78 months. Additional sentencing hearings are scheduled through February 2027.

Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and numerous state and local agencies participated in the investigation.