A 38-year-old woman from Irvine, California, has been charged following an undercover sting at Grand Island Regional Airport, where she allegedly tried to scam a Nebraska man out of $230,000.
Sarah Zixuan faces charges of attempted theft by deception in Hall County Court. The incident took place on Monday, when an investigation led by the FBI, Hall County Sheriff’s Office, and Grand Island Police targeted what they believe is a large-scale scam operation.
According to an arrest affidavit, investigators made contact with Zixuan at the airport around 10:40 a.m. Law enforcement alleges that Zixuan, in collaboration with a man from Dubai, had conspired to deceive the victim into handing over $230,000 for a fraudulent investment opportunity.
The affidavit states that once the victim met Zixuan, he was instructed to give her the money for an investment that was later revealed to be a scam. The victim’s account was reportedly locked, which prevented him from verifying the legitimacy of the deal. Zixuan then provided the victim with a code to verify his identity. Afterward, the victim handed over a duffle bag containing counterfeit cash meant to resemble $230,000.
