Chinese National Extradited for Alleged Role in Multimillion-Dollar Cryptocurrency Scam Targeting U.S. Citizens

Zheng Zhao, 44, a Chinese national, was arraigned today in the Central District of California after being extradited from the Netherlands for his alleged role in an international cryptocurrency investment conspiracy carried out from scam centers in the Kingdom of Cambodia that targeted U.S. citizens. Ultimately, the government was able to identify 174 U.S. victims.

“This extradition should be a lesson to all those who seek to exploit vulnerable Americans from overseas,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We will pursue charged defendants anywhere in the world, especially those who are alleged to have stolen money, converted it to cryptocurrency, and used foreign financial institutions in the process to try to hide and obfuscate their crimes. Wherever you are, we have the reach to find you.”

“As crime has globalized, so has law enforcement’s ability to locate and catch criminals,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “When innocent Americans are harmed by cybercriminals and their enablers, we and our partners around the globe will relentlessly ensure they face justice in a U.S. courtroom.”

“Today’s arraignment demonstrates our collective commitment to pursuing transnational criminal networks that exploit the American people,” said Special Agent in Charge Todd Bratz of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Criminal Investigative Division. “This case should serve as a warning to scammers in every corner of the world: there is nowhere to hide. Secret Service investigators and our law enforcement partners remain unwavering in their commitment to identify those who operate scam centers, disrupt their financial infrastructure, and bring them to justice.”