Liwei Zhang, 42, of China, was arrested and is currently held at the Licking County Justice Center on felony theft charges after defrauding a local resident of $27,000.
The investigation into the scam began on May 9, when the victim was tricked into believing that their Apple ID had been compromised and needed urgent action to “secure assets.” Zhang, posing as an authority figure, visited the victim’s home and took possession of the money.
On May 12, 2025, the victim was contacted again by the suspect, who instructed them to pay an additional $20,000. However, when Zhang arrived to collect the payment, he was intercepted by detectives and arrested on the spot.
Zhang is currently facing charges of felony theft for his role in the scam and is being held at the Licking County Justice Center. The case remains under investigation, and authorities are working to determine if Zhang is involved in other similar scams.
