A Chinese national, Jiandong Chen alias “Little Tiger,” pleaded guilty in a $27 million US fraud and money laundering scheme that targeted over 2,000 elderly victims. The network used tech support and refund scams, with links to India-based call centers. Chen faces up to 40 years in prison.

Washington: A Chinese national has pleaded guilty in a sweeping $27 million fraud and money laundering scheme that targeted around 2,000 elderly victims across the United States, with investigators linking the operation to India-based scam call centers.

Jiandong Chen, also known as “Little Tiger”, admitted in federal court that he played a role in the multinational conspiracy that operated between 2021 and 2023, according to the US Attorney’s Office in San Diego.

Prosecutors said the network used technical support scams, bank impersonation, government impersonation and refund frauds to deceive victims, most of whom were in their 70s and 80s.

Victims received unsolicited phone calls, emails and pop-up messages directing them to contact numbers that were secretly linked to call centers in India, investigators said.