PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. (7News) — Top law enforcement officials in Prince George’s County have announced the arrest of two suspects involved in a scam that defrauded seniors of more than $1 million.
State’s Attorney Tara Jackson and Police Chief George Nader held a press conference Thursday to discuss the indictments of 30-year-old Zheng Xie from Flushing, New York, and 27-year-old Jianwei Wang from Monterey Park, California.
According to the Prince George’s County Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit (FCU), the investigation began on May 15, 2025, after a victim reported receiving a call on April 28 warning her of fraudulent activity on her Apple ID. The caller impersonated a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) agent and convinced the victim her accounts were compromised.
The victim was instructed to withdraw tens of thousands of dollars from her bank and hand over the cash to individuals posing as FTC representatives. This happened on two separate occasions.
FCU detectives arrested Xie and Wang on May 23 following their investigation.
Authorities said the scam involved multiple elderly victims who collectively lost over $1 million. Similar frauds in the region have involved scammers advising victims to convert bank funds into gold bars, which are then collected by couriers—several of whom have been arrested in recent years.
Experts warn that scammers are using AI technology to create increasingly sophisticated schemes. They typically build trust by impersonating government or bank officials and instilling fear to coerce victims.
