Chicago man gets probation for scamming 83-year-old Washington Twp. resident
Apr. 24—A Chicago man who scammed an 83-year-old Washington Twp. man out of thousands of dollars was sentenced to probation.
Weihong Lian, 49, was sentenced Tuesday by Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Richard Skelton to up to five years of community control sanctions after he pleaded guilty March 25 to possessing criminal tools.
Lian traveled to the man's Washington Twp. residence from out of state to pick up $15,000. The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office organized a controlled transaction using fake money. Detectives saw Lian pick up the the decoy cash and arrested him moments later, according to an affidavit filed in Kettering Municipal Court.
An investigation was opened after the man received a fake notice of a virus on his computer, according to the sheriff's office. Lian spoke to the victim over the phone and convinced him his banking information was compromised.
Lian connected the older man with another person posing as a bank representative, according to the sheriff's office.
"The victim was coerced into withdrawing substantial amounts of money, falsely believing that it would help safeguard his funds," a statement from the sheriff's office read.
As part of a plea agreement, a felony theft charge was dismissed and Lian agreed to pay $11,000 restitution.
