A Chinese national in Florida pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge after authorities say she helped steal more than $95,000 from elderly victims by collecting and moving cash as part of a phone-and-electronic-message scheme.
Xin Liu, 40, who lives in Apopka, Florida, admitted to conspiring to commit wire fraud in federal court. The government says Liu worked with a person in China and others to target seniors and that her actions resulted in heavy losses for at least one victim.
Prosecutors say the fraud relied on telephone calls and electronic messages to trick victims into sending cash, which Liu then picked up and delivered to co-conspirators. Between July 22, 2025, and July 30, 2025, Liu is accused of driving to multiple locations across Florida on at least six separate occasions to pick up or try to pick up more than $95,000.
One of the people victimized lived in an assisted living apartment complex for seniors in Gainesville, Florida, according to court records. Investigators say Liu personally verified the contents of each package she handled and received a cut of the proceeds for her role in the scheme.
While in the United States on an H-1B visa, Liu allegedly coordinated with a person from the northern region of China and other co-conspirators to carry out the operation. Law enforcement characterizes the plan as an organized effort that leveraged remote actors to manipulate vulnerable retirees into surrendering cash.
U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, welcomed the news. “Elder fraud is a devastating crime that is growing increasingly common, as fraudsters like this alien and her China-based co-conspirators prey upon our vulnerable retiree population to enrich themselves,” Heekin said in a statement. “Stopping elder fraud depends upon educating the public about schemes like this, and encouraging victims to report these crimes to law enforcement as quickly as possible. My office will continue to investigate and aggressively prosecute every member of these fraud schemes to hold them accountable for their heinous crimes and achieve justice for their victims.”
Liu faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy to commit wire fraud charge and is expected to be transferred to deportation proceedings after serving any sentence imposed. Sentencing is set for June 16, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville, Florida, before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the Gainesville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Justice Department highlights a dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline for those 60 and older: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). That hotline, run by the Office for Victims of Crime, offers case managers who can assess a victim’s needs, identify reporting options, connect callers with appropriate agencies, and provide referrals and resources Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern in English, Spanish, and other languages.
The Department of Justice and other federal agencies maintain resources and complaint processes for elder fraud and consumer protection, and victims are encouraged to report suspected financial fraud to the proper authorities so losses can be investigated and, where possible, recovered. Agencies involved include the Justice Department’s consumer protection components, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Office for Victims of Crime, all of which offer information and assistance for elder fraud victims.
