The Allegan County Sheriff's Office said a Chinese national believed to be responsible for more than $1 million in fraudulent gold and cash pickups throughout the United States has been arrested.
According to the sheriff's office, an investigation began in June after an elderly Allegan County resident had been defrauded of nearly $500,000.
The investigation revealed that the victim was contacted in May by someone claiming to be from the Federal Trade Commission and asked if she had made online purchases.
When she replied that she had not, the caller said she was a victim of identity theft and claimed to have personal information about her and her family. The caller also told her that if it didn't stop, the thieves could steal her children's identities
Deputies said the suspect then told her she needed to withdraw her money from retirement and savings accounts and deposit it with one of their secure couriers.
When she contacted police, the victim had already given the suspects hundreds of thousands of dollars in wire transfers and checks. On two occasions, couriers had also gone to her home to pick up $237,000 in gold coins. The victim said the suspects were still in contact and were supposed to pick up $60,000 in cash on June 18.
Detectives set up inside the victim's residence while the suspect made arrangements for the pickup. Drones were used to oversee the residence, and around 5 p.m. on June 18, the male suspect approached the residence to pick up the cash. That's when he was arrested.
According to deputies, the suspect was identified as 24-year-old Xiangbo Sun, a Chinese national who was in the U.S. on a tourist visa. A Lyft driver nearby said he had driven Sun from Chicago O'Hare to Allegan County and was supposed to drive him to the Grand Rapids airport afterward.
Sun told police others had contacted him to pick up the $60,000 in exchange for a small percentage of the money and then fly from Grand Rapids to New York
Records and cell phone data indicated Sun was connected to more than $1 million in fraudulent gold and cash pickups nationwide, according to the sheriff's office.
Deputies identified the dates, times and locations for the pickups and contacted local jurisdictions.
Sun is lodged in the Allegan County Jail on a charge of larceny by false pretenses involving $50,000 to $100,000. Additional suspects have been identified but the sheriff's office said their names are being withheld intentionally at this time.
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