Last Two Defendants Plead Guilty in $16.2 Million Apple Warranty Fraud

Prosecutors say the group swapped counterfeits with cloned serial numbers for real devices through Apple’s repair channels.

Overview

Yushan Lin, 31, and Shuyi Xing, 35, of Corona, California, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud.
Xing also pleaded guilty to a separate money laundering conspiracy tied to more than $1 million in proceeds from elder‑fraud schemes.
Sentencing is set for December 10 before Judge André Birotte Jr., with Lin facing up to 20 years in prison and Xing up to 40 years.
From 2015 to 2024, conspirators smuggled counterfeit iPhones, iPads, and other devices from China, used real customers’ serial numbers to secure warranty returns at Southern California Apple Stores, and routed replacements through dozens of rented UPS mailboxes.
Lin and Xing attempted at least 1,584 returns causing about $1.12 million in losses, while the broader scheme involved more than 27,645 devices and at least $16.24 million in losses; four co‑defendants have also pleaded guilty as HSI and IRS‑CI led the probe with help from Postal Inspectors and the LAPD.