(File Photo of Handcuffs)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Allegheny County, PA) FBI agents recently apprehended a man from New York for allegedly defrauding a seventy-six-year-old man in Springdale Township of $130,000. Zhudi Chen faces charges of financial exploitation of an older adult and theft. According to the criminal complaint, the victim was contacted by scammers claiming to be investigating fraud at PNC Bank. Police confirmed that the victim was told by the scammers that he needed to liquidate his brokerage account to catch the suspect who had its access, which resulted in a $130,000 loss. The victim reported the fraud to the police in late September and shortly following, the scammers made a request to the victim to get over $103,000 in gold. The criminal complaint notes that FBI agents arrested Chen when he arrived at the house at the victim to collect the gold after an undercover operation and that Chen related to officers that he illegally crossed the border and had been apprehended previously by Homeland Security Investigations. Police stated that Chen has no ties to the Pittsburgh area or the victim. Chen is currently being held in the Allegheny County Jail.