PELHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – Two Chinese nationals are facing federal charges after authorities say they discovered more than 5,000 altered gift cards inside the suspects’ SUV.
The investigation began on June 20, when a CVS store manager in Hoover noticed suspicious behavior. The manager reported that Jiadong Cao and Xuejun Zheng entered the store and swapped out around 25 gift cards at a kiosk with cards they had brought in. The swapped cards included well-known brands such as Nike, Macy’s, and Best Buy.
After leaving the store in a gray Lexus SUV, Hoover police issued a BOLO (Be On the Lookout) using the vehicle’s tag number. On June 21, Pelham Police stopped the SUV for a traffic violation and uncovered multiple boxes filled with 5,078 gift cards. At least 15 were verified by Home Depot as being altered.
Federal investigators have since charged Cao and Zheng with possessing counterfeit access devices. According to authorities, Cao is in the U.S. unlawfully, while Zheng is present under protected/asylum status. Both men remain in custody at the Shelby County Jail.
