AUGLAIZE COUNTY — A man was arrested in connection with a scam that resulted in a local man losing a large sum of money.
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On Jan. 12, a resident of St. Marys Township told deputies with the Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office about the scam.
It began as a work-from-home opportunity and escalated into an IT scheme.
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The victim reported that the scam involved ongoing communication via telephone and messaging apps, where he was directed to wire significant amounts of money.
Initially, the victim was told he would receive his money back in cryptocurrency, but further demands followed, prompting the victim to withdraw even larger sums before contacting authorities.
During the investigation, the victim agreed to cooperate with the Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office by arranging a second pickup of money scheduled for Jan. 21.
On that date, the 43-year-old Chuan Zhao of Brooklyn, New York, arrived at the victim’s home to collect the money and was promptly arrested.
He has been charged with theft by deception.
We will continue to follow this story.
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