Auglaize County, Ohio – Two men have been arrested and charged with felonies after allegedly scamming an elderly resident out of a significant amount of money, according to the Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation began on Monday when a local man reported that he had been defrauded following a series of alarming phone calls and text messages. The messages claimed that his bank account had been hacked and that his funds were no longer secure.
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Deputies said the scammers convinced the man to withdraw a large amount of cash and promised to exchange it for a cashier’s check of equal value. After arranging a pickup, individuals arrived at the man’s home to collect the money. One of them reportedly tried to coax the man into making additional investments and preparing for another withdrawal.
Family members intervened and contacted authorities, prompting a deeper investigation.
The Grand Lake Task Force, FBI (Lima Office), and Safe Streets Task Force joined the probe and helped set up a second pickup on June 17—this time for an even larger amount.
Authorities said two men showed up to retrieve the money but were immediately taken into custody. They were found in possession of a large sum of cash.
The suspects, identified as Xinxing Chen, 32, and Yaolong Zhou, 37, are citizens of the People’s Republic of China and were in the U.S. on work visas. Both are being held at the Auglaize County Corrections Center and face third-degree felony charges of Complicity/Theft by Deception.
