LAKELAND, Fla. – A significant racketeering operation has been uncovered in Polk County, Florida, involving four suspects accused of defrauding Target stores out of hundreds of thousands of dollars through counterfeit goods returns.
Yun Zheng, Lin Chen, Haoyi Ren, and Hang Yang have been arrested in connection with a complex scam that involved the fraudulent purchase of electronics, the return of counterfeit products, and the use of stolen Target gift cards. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd described the operation as “brilliant, illegal,” and noted that the suspects are facing up to 30 years in prison.
The investigation began in January 2024, after two employees at a Target store in North Lakeland were flagged for issuing large discounts of 66% to 90%. Investigators learned that the suspects bribed the employees with gifts such as Apple watches and Starbucks drinks, enabling them to fraudulently use employee discount codes.
According to authorities, the suspects obtained the stolen Target gift cards through phone scams targeting victims, though the suspects were not directly involved in the scam calls. The fraudulent purchases primarily consisted of high-end electronics like Apple iPads and Bose headphones, which were then sent to China, where they were replaced with counterfeit items. These items were returned to Target for refunds, resulting in losses exceeding $177,000.
The suspects are also accused of using stolen FedEx numbers to ship the merchandise to China. While some returns were rejected, law enforcement believes the operation may extend beyond this group, involving other individuals and businesses.
Yang was arrested in Texas, while Zheng, Chen, and Ren were taken into custody in Pasco County in December. The four individuals face charges of racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities continuing to search for additional suspects and victims affected by the scam.
