GREENWICH, CT — Two men from Queens, New York, are facing a series of felony charges after allegedly using stolen credit card data to buy gift cards from stores in Greenwich.
Yao Qi Wu, 29, of Ozone Park, and Hao Wei Lin, 34, are accused of being part of a broader “Chinese Organized Crime Group” operating out of New York City, according to arrest records filed in Stamford Superior Court.
Wu faces more than 20 felony counts, including conspiracy to commit identity theft and fraud on a revoked payment card. He is also charged with misdemeanor counts of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation and unlawful payment card use. Lin is charged with multiple counts of forgery and conspiracy to commit forgery.
Authorities say the suspects used stolen credit card information—acquired through methods like mail theft and identity fraud—to make purchases using Apple Pay, avoiding the need to physically present a card. This form of “No Card Present” fraud can bypass in-store security checks and complicate investigations.
The fraudulent activity was first noticed on January 25, when a Greenwich financial crimes officer observed suspicious activity at a CVS store on Greenwich Avenue. Lin allegedly made five separate gift card purchases using different stolen cards. Police followed the suspects to a second CVS location in Cos Cob, where Lin allegedly made more purchases totaling $950.
Both men were arrested in Cos Cob. Inside their vehicle, police recovered five counterfeit driver’s licenses and a phone containing stolen data from 15 credit cards. Officers also found about six grams of ketamine.
According to court documents, Wu acted as the “handler” while Lin was the “walker,” executing the purchases inside stores.
Lin has a criminal history with past arrests in New Jersey, Virginia, and Nevada for credit card theft, fraud, burglary, and larceny. Both were arrested on January 25, and Wu faced additional charges on June 30. Each also faces a misdemeanor drug charge for ketamine possession.
Bail was set at $200,000 for Wu, who has since been released. Lin also posted bail but missed a court appearance, prompting a rearrest warrant. Wu is scheduled to appear in court on July 21. A Mandarin interpreter has been assigned to assist with court proceedings.
