Chinese National Admits Taking $95,000 in Elder Fraud Case

ST. LOUIS - A man from China admitted taking $95,000 from a 79-year-old Missouri fraud victim.

Dongyi Guo, 28, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He admitted that co-conspirators began contacting the victim in March of 2024 via telephone calls and electronic messages, claiming to represent her financial institutions and/or the Social Security Office. They falsely claimed that her financial accounts had been compromised, and that she need to pay to prevent her money from being stolen. They told her that an employee of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) would pick up the money.

Guo flew from New York City to Chicago and then rented a car to drive to the woman's home. On March 4, he picked up $40,000 in cash. He took another $35,000 in cash the next day, and $20,000 on March 6. Guo's co-conspirators continued to pressure the victim into providing more money. Guo was arrested on March 7 during his attempt to take an additional $15,000.

Guo is scheduled to be sentenced March 6, 2025. The conspiracy charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine.

The Knox County Sheriff's Office and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.

If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting and provide resources and referrals. Reporting frauds can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. The Federal Trade Commission also provides a hotline at 877-FTC-HELP and a website at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov to receive consumer complaints.