Overview

• Agents arrested 25 suspects in California, New York, Texas and Michigan, seizing more than $4.2 million in cash and several luxury vehicles.
• Defendants face federal counts of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in San Diego federal court.
• Prosecutors describe a consistent ruse that used unsolicited contacts, tech‑support and refund ploys, remote computer access, and demands for wire transfers, gift cards or packages of cash.
• The U.S.-based network was largely composed of Chinese nationals working with India-based call centers, with thousands of mostly elderly victims including a 97‑year‑old San Diego widow who lost her savings.
• Court filings say YouTube creators Scammer Payback and Trilogy Media helped identify three defendants, including Zhiyi “Cream Pablo” Zhang, whom investigators tied to about 59 cash packages representing $1.8 million in losses.