FBI thanks YouTubers for catching scammers guilty of running $65M fraud ring targeting seniors

YouTubers who bait scammers for content have been credited by federal prosecutors after helping authorities crack a $65 million fraud ring that targeted thousands of seniors across the United States.

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The US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California announced that Hua Wang, the lead defendant in the case, pleaded guilty in federal court on June 30 for his role in a multinational fraud and money laundering scheme. Prosecutors said 10 others have also pleaded guilty.

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According to the Department of Justice, the criminal network had been operating since at least 2019 and worked closely with India-based scam call centers. Victims were allegedly contacted by scammers posing as tech support agents, government officials, or bank employees, before being convinced to send cash through express mail carriers.

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Those packages were sent to fake names tied to false IDs and delivered to short-term rentals used by members of the conspiracy. Prosecutors said Wang admitted he was responsible for more than 2,000 cash packages from elderly victims and $64 million in losses.

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YouTubers Scammer Payback & Trilogy Media praised for catching scammers

The case took a major turn thanks to YouTube creators Scammer Payback and Trilogy Media, who had been filming sting operations against scammers in 2020 and 2021.

Pierogi, the creator behind Scammer Payback, teamed up with two YouTubers from Trilogy Media to bait fraudsters, confront them on camera, and upload the footage. Prosecutors said those videos helped investigators identify multiple defendants and understand the structure of the fraud conspiracy.

In one sting, Pierogi was told to send cash to someone using the name “Hans Bum” in South San Francisco. Trilogy Media then delivered a decoy package and confronted the recipient, later identified as Zhiyi Zhang, who admitted on camera to receiving packages for money.

The YouTubers gave the footage to law enforcement, who verified Zhang’s identity using unblurred video, rental records, and other evidence.

Back in August 2025, when the case was first announced, US Attorney Adam Gordon praised the creators’ role, saying: “Not all heroes wear capes. Some have YouTube channels.”

Federal prosecutors said more than 30 defendants have now been publicly charged in related indictments. Sentencing hearings for several defendants are scheduled throughout July, August, and September 2026.47:T1312, Y