Viera, FL — Dongdong Ye and Mei Mei Dong, a well-known couple in the Rockledge and Viera community and owners of the popular sushi restaurant Da Sushi, have been charged with serious criminal offenses in Wisconsin related to an alleged multi-state gift card scam targeting elderly victims.
In February, authorities in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, issued arrest warrants for Ye, 38, and Dong, 36, charging them with theft by false representation over $10,000. This felony charge carries a potential prison sentence of up to six years if they are convicted.
According to the criminal complaint filed in Waukesha Circuit Court, a 76-year-old Elm Grove man reported being scammed after receiving a pop-up message on his computer instructing him to call a tech support number. The victim was convinced to purchase and provide gift card information totaling $4,300 from Lowe’s and Home Depot, and also wired $10,000 to a California bank account.
Police later traced the gift card usage to a Lowe’s store in Rockledge, Florida. Surveillance footage allegedly captured Dongdong Ye using the stolen cards to purchase a six-person golf cart. Additionally, some of the gift cards were reportedly used at a Home Depot store in Canada.
Investigators identified Ye through store video footage that showed distinctive sleeve tattoos, including a rose flower tattoo on his arm. These matched public images of Ye, who is known as the chef at Da Sushi. A white Lexus SUV recorded on video also matched a vehicle registered at the couple’s Rockledge residence.
