Chinese national sentenced in conspiracy to defraud elderly victims

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Xin Liu, 40, a Chinese national living in Apopka, has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for her material participation in an elder fraud scheme. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentencing.  

United States Attorney Heekin said, “We are unfortunately seeing a rise in the prevalence of elder fraud schemes orchestrated and executed by foreign nationals who target and financially exploit our senior citizens, depleting their life savings and leaving the victims destitute. Raising awareness of these threats is vitally important to preventing more seniors from falling prey to these fraudsters and their schemes. Our state and federal law enforcement partners are working hard to identify and dismantle those fraud schemes, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these fraudsters to the fullest extent of the law.”

Court records reflect that the defendant, a Chinese national residing in the United States with an H-1B visa, participated in a fraud scheme that used telephone calls and electronic messages to target elderly victims. Between July 22, 2025, and July 30, 2025, the defendant drove to at least six locations throughout Florida to pick up money from the elderly victims who were targeted in the fraud scheme, including one victim who lived in an assisted living community for seniors in Gainesville. In total, the defendant attempted to pick up over $95,000 from the victims and was paid using a portion of the fraudulently obtained proceeds. Liu’s actions created substantial financial hardship for at least one elderly victim. 

Liu’s original arrest

Liu was booked into the Alachua County Jail on November 27, 2025; the Alachua County case began when the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) asked the Gainesville Police Department (GPD) to make contact with a victim in Gainesville after Liu was arrested in Manatee County for participating in a scheme to defraud victims via cyber intrusion and phone scams. The MCSO detective said the Gainesville victim’s address was found in Liu’s phone.

The Gainesville victim told a GPD detective that he had been the victim of a scam but had not reported it because he was embarrassed. The victim, who was 72 years old, said he believed he had lost $60,000 in the scam but could only confirm the amounts of two transactions; he said one of those involved an Asian female who came to his house on July 30 to pick up $15,000.

The victim said the scam began with a pop-up on his computer; he clicked on it and received a call from someone who said they were with the Department of the Treasury and claimed people had taken his identity and had been slowly removing money from his account to purchase Bitcoin. The victim allowed that person to remotely log in to his computer to “verify this” for him, and then they convinced him to send them money “to resolve the issues.” The victim said they told him not to speak to his bank because the suspects had accomplices inside his bank.

In one instance, the victim was told to transfer $20,000 to a Wells Fargo account; he also said he mailed money to a business in California, but he could not recall the amount of that transaction

GPD Chief Nelson Moya: “Those who prey on our senior citizens for financial gain should know there is no safe haven in Gainesville.”

“Stealing from seniors is not just a financial crime, it’s a betrayal of trust,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “Older Americans should never have to fear being targeted by criminals looking to drain their life savings. This sentence reflects the FBI’s commitment to protecting older Americans and holding those accountable who target them.”

“The abuse of elderly individuals is shameful and one of the most disturbing crimes affecting our nation,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker of IRS Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “IRS-CI will continue to work hand-in hand with our partners and devote resources to protect the vulnerable by dismantling criminal activity that targets elderly victims.”

“These criminals preyed on our most vulnerable residents with sophisticated scams, impersonating federal agents to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells. “Thanks to the swift work of our detectives and federal partners, we’ve stopped this operation and prevented further victims. We urge everyone to stay vigilant and report suspicious activity immediately.”

Gainesville Police Chief Nelson Moya said: “Those who prey on our senior citizens for financial gain should know there is no safe haven in Gainesville. These crimes do more than steal money—they exploit trust, create fear, and can cause significant financial hardship for people who are often living on fixed incomes.”

The case involved an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Gainesville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner prosecuted the case.

What to do if you suspect you’re a victim of fraud

If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.

More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, at www.ovc.gov.