PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces that a California man has been indicted in an internet scam involving a Lawrence County couple.
“This case involved the alleged theft of at least $325,000,” said Attorney General Jackley. “I appreciate the courage of the victims to come forward, and the work of our investigators to protect our consumers. We encourage everyone who receives such solicitations via the internet or telephone not to respond but to call law enforcement or someone you trust.”
Chao Zheng, 30, of Monterey, CA pleaded not guilty Tuesday when he was arraigned in Lawrence County Circuit Court. He has been charged with one felony count of Aiding and Abetting Grand Theft of more than $100,000 but less than $500,000 by Deception and one felony count of Conspiracy To Commit Grant Theft of more than $100,000 but less than $500,000 by Deception. The exact amount of the money stolen is still being investigated.
The crimes occurred between July 26, 2024 and Aug. 23, 2024 when the couple received pop-up messages on their laptop computer from “Microsoft Security.” They were asked to call a “fraud investigator” at a bank and ordered to pay large amounts of money to cover so-called commissions of crimes that had been found on their accounts. The couple paid the money three different times. Zheng was arrested when he tried to personally collect a fourth payment on Aug. 23.
Zheng faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on the Aiding and Abetting charge and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the Conspiracy charge. He is being held on a $100,000 bond, and his next court appearance is Nov. 5. The defendant is presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution.
The case is being investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation and the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office. The Attorney General’s Office and Lawrence County State’s Attorney’s Office are prosecuting the case.
