York County, S.C. – A significant breakthrough in a scam investigation was announced by York County officials, revealing that tens of thousands of dollars had been stolen. Sheriff Kevin Tolson held a press conference on December 20, where he shared details about the arrest of 43-year-old Shulong Li.
Li is suspected of being involved in at least three scam incidents, where he targeted victims across state lines. One of these incidents involved a woman from Minnesota, who received a call from Li, claiming that her son had been arrested on drug charges. He instructed her to send money to clear his name, prompting the woman to send thousands of dollars to Fort Mill.
After an investigation, law enforcement identified Li as a suspect and tracked down his vehicle. Deputies stopped him and discovered two packages, one containing a significant amount of cash. Following his arrest, authorities found approximately $43,000 that Li had allegedly taken from victims.
Sheriff Tolson confirmed that the victims, including the woman from Minnesota, were all from outside South Carolina. The York County Sheriff’s Office, which had investigated 869 fraud cases this year, emphasized the growing threat of scammers, with $3.7 million stolen in 2024 alone. Of these cases, 61 involved scammers impersonating law enforcement officers, while others involved individuals pretending to be lawyers.
Sheriff Tolson used this arrest to warn the public that legitimate government officials will never ask for money via phone calls.
Li was arrested on December 12 and is facing charges including three counts of obtaining property by false pretense, three counts of criminal conspiracy, fugitive from justice, and improper lane change. Tolson also confirmed that Li was in the country illegally, with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) now involved in the case. Li had a New York address at the time of his arrest.
As of December 20, Li remains incarcerated, with a bond set at over $55,000.
