Judge Denies Bond for Two NY Men in $70K Georgia Bank Scam
Two New York men are being held without bond after allegedly stealing $70,000 in a tech-support-style bank scam that targeted a Cornelia, Georgia resident.
Ying Chen, 39, of Elmhurst, and Jian Jun Zhan, 34, of Brooklyn, were arrested Friday by the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office. Both face charges of theft by deception after reportedly conning the victim out of $40,000 and attempting to return for another $30,000.
The scam began with an email pretending to be from PayPal, claiming the victim’s account had unauthorized activity. Although the victim suspected the email was fake and Googled a number for PayPal, he was still misled. A man identifying himself as “Peter” instructed the victim to provide sensitive banking details and prepare to hand over cash to a person who would visit him with a “pass code.”
On Friday afternoon, a man arrived at the victim’s home, gave the correct code, and received $40,000 in cash. Shortly afterward, the victim was contacted again and told to withdraw an additional $30,000. However, this time, bank staff grew suspicious and alerted the victim’s family, who contacted 9-1-1.
Family members tracked the suspects’ movements until deputies arrived. Authorities stopped a grey Toyota Sienna van with New York plates. Chen was driving, and Zhan was in the passenger seat. Both were taken into custody.
During the arrest, officers recovered four phones, nearly $4,000 in cash, and Zhan’s wallet containing bank cards. The vehicle was seized and impounded.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities believe the suspects may be tied to a larger network of tech support or financial scams.
