WILLIAMSPORT — A former Penn State student from China is facing prison and deportation after admitting he was part of a computer hacking scam that has a confirmed nationwide loss of more than $10 million.
Yankun Jiang, 25, pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. Middle District Court to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Jiang, who spent five years at Penn State but did not earn a degree, worked himself up the scheme from courier to coordinator, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd.
Travel records show that on at least two occasions he flew from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles International Airport with suitcases of money he gave to conspirators, she said.
She had said in July more than 50 victims in 19 states had been identified. Some victims have lost their life savings and homes, Lloyd said.
Jiang’s plea agreement states the nationwide loss could be as high as $20 million.
He was one of eight Chinese nationals charged in Williamsport in a superseding indictment. He was part of what Lloyd called the “Pennsylvania group.”
The charges in the indictment cover the period of August 2023 until Feb. 22, 2024. Victims are described in the indictment as mainly elderly or wealthy.
The scam includes a notice on the computer screen that the device has been hacked along with a “pop-up” purportedly from Microsoft with a number to call to correct it.
Those who make the call are told their bank account was not secure, they should withdraw the money and provide false information as the reason like it was being used for home remodeling.
They also were told a federal agent would pick up the cash at their home and ensure its safekeeping. They were provided a code word the “federal agent” would provide upon arrival.
Jiang’s initial role, according to Lloyd, was to go to homes, identify himself as law enforcement, get the money and take it to a coordinator in State College.
Lloyd said at a previous court proceeding Jiang drove to locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia where he collected a total of $350,000 from victims. Surveillance videos show him at homes, she said.
He later became a coordinator and that resulted in the trips to Los Angeles, she said.
The wire fraud charge carries a 20-year maximum prison sentence, but according estimates in court, something in the range 63 to 78 months is more likely.
Jiang, who is detained, acknowledged to Judge Matthew W. Brann that he knows he is facing deportation.
At the earlier hearing, Lloyd said Jiang transferred from Penn State to Cornell where he received a degree but then moved back to State College.