SILVER SPRING, Md. — Montgomery County prosecutors revealed details Wednesday of a breathtaking scam that cost one resident of Leisure World in Montgomery County nearly $800,000.
During a brief court hearing, a judge ordered Wenhui Sun to be held without bail, after prosecutors alleged Sun was caught participating in a scheme to pose as a team of federal agents investigating a fictional identity theft case.
According to documents in the case, the scammers convinced the victim that they worked for agencies such as the U.S. Treasury and the FBI.
Sun told police he acted as a courier assigned to pick up gold bars from the victim, who had been convinced by the scammers to convert her assets to precious metals and hand them over to protect her money from an international ring of identity thieves who had her information. In two transactions, the victim had already handed over $789,000 in gold.
One meeting happened in the parking lot of a Walgreens at 18370 Georgia Ave, near the victim's home at Leisure World.
Investigators later used security images from Leisure World to track a pick up truck allegedly used by Sun to receive gold and transport the metal to New York. The victim then called police who helped arrange a third transaction that was designed as a sting.
Montgomery County police arrested Sun on March 18 when he returned to Leisure World to pick up what he thought was more than $376,000 in additional gold.
Sun was arrested and is being held without bond while the investigation continues.
No gold has been recovered.
Prosecutors said Sun is a California resident with ties to China and a history of recent travel to New York, Montana and California.
Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy called the scale of the alleged theft "stunning," but revealed that it is only one of at least a dozen similar crimes that have targeted seniors in Montgomery County. He estimated total losses to county residents in excess of $8 million.
Federal officials issued a warning about similar scams in January and estimate losses nationwide at $55 million.
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