(WSVN) - A federal grand jury has indicted two Chinese nationals accused of carrying out a gift card fraud scheme that targeted dozens of grocery stores across South Florida, prosecutors said.
Cao Yuan Liu, 22, and Linghan Chen, 26, are charged with conspiracy and possession of 15 or more counterfeit or unauthorized access devices, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida announced Monday.
According to court records, on Dec. 16, 2024, the duo entered a grocery store, removed gift cards from the aisle, and tampered with them by cutting out or scratching off PIN and identification numbers.
The cards were then returned to the shelves.
Once an unsuspecting customer purchased and activated the cards, Liu and Chen allegedly accessed the money.
Surveillance footage showed the pair leaving in a black Bentley SUV with a New York license plate.
Law enforcement officials later searched their home, seizing numerous gift cards, including some found in a toilet. More gift cards were found during a search of the SUV on Dec. 23.
Investigators believe that over 40 grocery stores across Florida, including those in Miami-Dade and Broward, were targeted in the operation.
If convicted, both face up to 15 years in prison.
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