QUEENS, NY (Queens District Attorney) — A major cable theft operation in Flushing and Whitestone, Queens, was disrupted when Kong Gao, 35, of Whitestone, was arrested for allegedly making and distributing forged modem devices filled with malware. The devices mimicked legitimate cable and streaming services, allowing unauthorized access to the Spectrum network.
Gao was arraigned on November 15 in Queens Criminal Court and faces charges of fraudulent making of an electronic device and criminal possession of forgery devices. Approximately 200 fraudulent modems were seized from his home during a court-authorized search on November 14.
Charter Communications initiated the investigation after discovering widespread theft of Wi-Fi and streaming services, involving the cloning of around 6,000 unique accounts. In August, undercover investigators linked Gao to the illegal sale of fraudulent modems in the Flushing area.
The counterfeit devices contained malware, allowing illegal access to Charter’s network. The scheme is estimated to have caused over $1 million in lost revenue. Gao faces up to seven years in prison if convicted of the top charge. He is scheduled to return to court on January 16.