Couple Indicted on Federal Charges for Fraud Scheme Involving Counterfeit iPads

Richland, Washington - On September 19, 2024, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Washington returned an indictment charging Zhangbo Liang, age 24 and Linda You, age 20, with ten criminal counts for fraud as well as trafficking and transporting stolen and counterfeit items. Liang made his first appearance in federal court in the Western District of Washington on September 30, 2024. You made her first appearance in federal court in the Eastern District of Washington on October 24, 2024.

The indictment alleges beginning no later than January of 2024, Liang and You were involved in a scheme where they would purchase authentic iPads from Target stores in the Eastern District of Washington and elsewhere, remove them from their boxes, place counterfeit iPads in the boxes, then reseal the boxes. Liang and You would then return the counterfeit iPads and receive a refund on a Target gift card. Liang and You would use the gift cards to allegedly purchase additional items from Target, including more iPads they would replace with counterfeit goods for subsequent returns.

According to the indictment, between January 2024 and June 2024, Liang and You returned at least 140 iPads to Target stores and fraudulently obtained a net refund amount of at least $163,000.

"Fraudulent schemes that involve stolen and counterfeit items harm businesses and lead to increased prices for everyone. Our fraud prosecutors, working closely with our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively target fraudsters who attempt to scam businesses and individuals to line their own pockets," said U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref.

The case was referred for federal investigation by the Washington Attorney General's Office Organized Retail Crime Task Force and the Skagit County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, highlighting the important and successful partnership between federal and state law enforcement agencies to address organized retail crimes.

This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy J. Kelley.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

4:24-cr-06024-SAB