The Metropolitan Police Department arrested two men who posed as federal agents with the United States Government for attempting to scam an 85-year-old man by email and phone.
 
On Wednesday, July 8, 2026, the victim was contacted by scammers who claimed to be Federal agents by email and then by phone. The scammers stated that funds in the victim’s bank account were in jeopardy of being lost if he did not secure the money by buying gold bars and giving them to the scammers. Thinking that the scam was legitimate, the victim attempted to purchase over $200,000 worth of gold bars and was alerted by the gold dealer that he was being scammed.  
 
The Metropolitan Police Department’s Financial and Cyber Crimes Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were alerted by the gold dealer about the scam. When the two scammers responded to the victim’s home to retrieve the gold bars members of MPD’s Violent Crime Suppression Division arrested 50-year-old Chu Lin, of Fresh Meadows, New York, and 42-year-old Xiean Cheng, of Cornelius North Carolina. Both suspects were charged with Second Degree Financial Fraud.
 
Anyone who has knowledge of this incident should take no action but call police at (202) 727-9099 or text your tip to the Department's TEXT TIP LINE at 50411. The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $1,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and indictment of the person or persons responsible for a crime committed in the District of Columbia.  
 
CCN: 26102601
 
 

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