During my 24 years on the LAPD, I saw every kind of fraud you can think of, but nothing quite like the elaborate little operation you're about to watch. Hello. How's it going? Do me a favor. Have a seat. What? Have a seat for me. Me? Either one. Huh? You guys got your IDs on you? Yeah. Can you get that, please? You got your ID, please? Uh, she's getting it. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Have a seat for me. Okay. Thank you guys. Hold on to New York. All right. Do you know why we're here? What? Do you know why I'm here talking to you guys right now? Okay, I'll explain it to you in a minute. All right. Super transplant back. Um, I'm saying I'm going take them my car. Okay. So, we can separate them. They stop talking. Okay. Ch. You have a warrant. You have a warrant. He did. No. No. Said it. Should I also go? Mm-m. He had a warrant. What is porn? He had a warrant out of a different county for his arrest. Out of Sarasota, a warrant. Can you translate Chinese? I I don't know how to do. So, what should I do? Should I go with him? No. Go on. What? I I I think what is which area? Uh which area? Like New York, California. I don't know. I'm unsure. I didn't I will let you know more information. Can I get to my phone because right now you're detained. Hold on. Okay, hold on a second. Time out. Now, been there and done that. seen this movie before where I have arrived that scene and there was a language barrier right regardless of that particular language and one of the things that we can do as a resource and I don't know if they have that particular resources you know what I used to you know 14 L60 can I get a Mandarin speaker uh to come at scene right to my location and hopefully they can request that right because here's what's going to happen is I kind of think they speak English but when you do get that uh mand Mandarin speaker, right? He or she is going to be able to tell you that come on now, they they speak English. You know, they can speak their language, translate, but I'mma call BS. And my thinking is she probably understands English pretty well. What do you think? Yep. You're going to say until we can figure out what happened. Just one minute. One minute. Okay. kill me. Yeah, just sit. Stand against just uh confirm you miss out the confirmation. Yeah, it's in Florida. Sorry. What? K is no. Is it? No. In here? Yeah. Have you been to jail before in Florida? Sir, I don't know English. Okay. Give me one second. I'll get a translation. Thank you. Anything else on you? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's it. Nothing else. What what language do you speak? Uh Mandarin. Mandarin. Yeah. Okay. Chinese. Mandarin. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Forward. I'll check. Thank you. No. No. One second. I got him in the back of my car. He has a warrant out of Sarasota County. Yeah. Wait, there's a polo out for Yeah, just I'm looking at you. Pretty cool. It's a good Yeah, I was I like driving 3 in the morning. When I came this morning, I saw this and I'm like, if you drive this, you're going to get the same. But then I was like, everybody's still asleep. And then he sent a picture. Or is it come back to It comes back to out of New York. They're out of New York. The look of that bolo looks like they just go all around Florida. Yeah. Just just stealing money. Collecting money. Yeah. Okay, if you're wondering what a bolo is, B O L O, that's like a uniform cop code, right? We love acronyms. Be on the lookout is what it means. And that's used in Florida, California, probably across the nation. And you know what? I was thinking the same thing. Come on, man. Look, you got a Bentley baller ass car in a cheap motel. Well, I don't My thinking is the motel is not that expensive is what I meant by cheap. But it doesn't quite make sense, right? There's no front plate. So, of course, you had to run the plate. And lo and behold, voila, you got the warrant. So here we go. Now we got to investigate, right? So now we go from patrol procedures, which is what cops do is they have to investigate. Turn every single stone, quote unquote, no stone goes unturned. This is how you can drive a Bentley. We got Publix bags. There's cards in that in that door, too. So I'm going to tell everybody to collect the cards. That way if we get fingerprints or something like that, that's a I don't have any uh weapons. So uh please don't uh rude treat to me because I see some video on the uh social media. So I will do nothing. Just follow you guys that uh you want me to do. Okay, just sit here. We're going to have someone come talk to you. Okay, so just give it a few minutes and someone will talk to you here in a few. I'm with a good eye. Huh? directly. How long were you guys here for? Are you leaving today? The English is very I've been translating on translating. I'm uh work from home. Do you work from home? Yeah. So I I'm bring my laptop. Mhm. Uh so he said we vacation. So Mhm. Okay. Yeah. I'm a programmer. Programmer. We're good. Whose car? Is it your car? The vehicle? Uh, not my car. Your Is that your husband or boyfriend? Boyfriend. Is it his car? I'm not sure. I I'm not sure, but I have my car. What kind of car do you have? Finance car. A what? Finance. Is that your car out there? Uh, no. Whose car is it? I think this he but it's also finance card because sometimes his friend also will use this cards. A lot of people use this card. So I'm not sure the one with the warrants in the back of Brian's truck or car. The girl was upstairs outside that room with the door shut. So, I think she came out and shut the door saying, you know, of course, you gota want, but they had to be out by 11 today. Wait, she's in the She's not coming out. No, no, she's out. We have her sitting outside. She was outside and shut the door behind her like not letting us in. Yeah, probably. What? He's over here on the street. So, there's a bull out. Did you guys [laughter] see the bull? Yeah, we got three. So, okay. So, who's the So, how are we who gets char or who's the victim? Saint says right now it's Publix cuz they're the ones that own the or it's their property which not technically I can't in my brain make it make sense because I they don't I know whatever the gift cards wouldn't it be the whoever the gift card the business of the gift card right which is I don't know gift cards they have right now we got Macy's we got Home Depot Amazon Dicks all kind of stuff being sold yeah that's just what my guys are finding today that's not what else what is what are What are they doing? Did you see video? Yeah, I went to the store. So, they they come in with stacks of cards that they've already cut from another store and they take the numbers and they re package that. They reseal it with like hot glue. The little brown package the gift card comes in. So, like the girl walks in and goes to like Amazon or Target and takes the stack of them, basically walks away. And then the guy comes in with the other ones that they've already cut and he puts them back in place. So, they now take the uncut cards and they go cut them somewhere else. and it looks like they go to another store and replace them. So when I buy a gift card, I ring it up and I put a 100 bucks on it to Publix and then I go and give it to him and he opens it later the cards cut. The numbers are cut out of them and as [clears throat] soon as I activate a Publix manager told me as soon as I pay for that Publix 100 bucks, somehow they get notice of that serial number or that number and they're able to use it online or whatever and you might not open it for till next month or 6 months. They activate it immediately. Immediately as soon as I pay for it and I put 100 bucks on it. I'm assuming it gets activated when you pass. When you when you do this right here, when you when they scan it and it they tell you how much you want to put on 100 bucks and then it probably goes to whatever card was connected to this one, but they already have the numbers ready to go. It's probably already implemented like into a wall stealing cards and then replacing them with old cards. No, no, no. So, so they take this card, they open it up, take the card inside it, take the numbers off of it, and they probably download it into like a wallet. Okay. And then they receal it, and then they take it, they steal the cards. Yes. They're taking the cards and they're replacing it at an at another. Okay, that makes more sense. So then when you buy this card and you scan it, say, "I want 100 bucks on it." It goes to their they already right to their wallet or whatever it is they have the original number cuz they already activated. Yeah, they already activated it through their thing. Okay. Damn. Genius. You know, it's sophisticated nowadays. We haven't had back in my days, uh, when I worked at LAPD. I want to I've had some identity theft, you know, type of investigations, but nothing that sophisticated, right? This is like a big heist. It's it's a big operation. All right. And I got to applaud these suspects for uh taking their time to really think this out. right now. The only thing is, bro, don't be driving a big baller Bentley, you know, around. I don't know. Get like a a RAV 4 or, you know, just get like an economic Toyota, Nissan, a Ford, whatever the case may be. But don't stand out. And then they're putting this sealing the numbers and then putting the cards back in. Yeah, they put the car back in, they glue it shut, and they put it back on. You guys think of Christmas right now? Yeah. Everybody's buying. Everyone's buying this. Yeah. I don't know what to buy you just please. And then he opens it and it's cut and $100 for you. So then I guess if at that point once I pay for it, I'm the victim. I put 100 bucks on it. That's what we're trying to figure out. And then whoever owns them, they're cutting the card. So they're damaging it. It's not public. But here's the thing. Also, the manager, she's she saw what they did, what stacks they put on. So she pulled all them. Some of them she mistaked, opened them, and they weren't cut or taken yet. It's good gift card, but she's throwing it in the garbage. And I said, "What? Don't you have to get that back to Amazon or something?" She goes, "No, they don't they don't deal with it at all." That's what I mean. They They didn't Nobody put money on it and they're I guess they're not taking a loss on the actual physical card cuz it cost them to make those cards. So, I don't know if Amazon wants to be a victim. Well, we don't know who wants to. See, that's the whole problem is, okay, so let's kind of flush this out a little bit more. My thinking is that if you're going to take these gift cards from Amazon, then Amazon is victimized. Any other store, they're going to be the victims. But more than anything, it's probably going to end up being a multi-jurisdictional, multifunctional investigation, get the feds and the state involved to kind of figure all this out and get an expert on fraud, right? Credit card frauds to kind of decipher to see who's going to be the victim, who's the person reporting the RP. This is one of those complex investigations. So, it's not easy to solve. You got to turn every single stone. But you know what? Wherever the evidence follows, you make sure you uh you cover it all. I guess that's the best way to describe it. That's why we need the state to take over the victim. Go after Christine said no. Yeah. Kristen said has to be Publix. She's It's Publix. But I has to have a service with them because cuz they're purchased. She said, "Who has the property right now?" That's who the victim is. Publix. Sure. We'll let Publix be the victim. I mean, there's no monetary loss at this point. It's just a scheme to defraud. So, we could just make it public. Yeah. Just make it public. I guess cuz they are scheming to defraud Publix. They are doing that. It's Are they cooperative? Have they Oh, no. She's acting like she doesn't know Spanish. She's not very cooperative, though. Do we have her on video? Yes. Right. We have her on video. walking in and putting them in and there there's multiple Publixes, I think. Yeah, there's three calls right now. City's got one. PSL had one, too. We have one at Cove. One off of Becker, I think, is going on right now, too. So, can I get um two of your units to transport to CN that one's separated? Yeah, he he'll take one. Won't you take the girl? And then uh Brian's already got the one in there. Okay. And this is their car. No, the Bentley's their car. We might as well. Is it a Bentley? Yeah. So, we'll put it in uh cuz there's cards and all kinds of stuff in there as well. Yeah, I have to do search for them. I want their phones, too. They're probably all inside, but and they had to be out. So, they have to get their stuff, which I guess technically we can assist them in getting their stuff. How are you? Good. Speak English a little bit. Stand up. Thoughts in the room? Yeah. So, what should I do? We'll let the manager know. Want to get something out of your room? My uh my highway. My laptop. Laptop. We can't take your laptop. Uh because it's from my uh companies for my So I We'll take that. You have your phone? Uh yes. Okay. Which room is it? I think it's this room, right? What else? Hold up. Hold up. Hold up. Hold up. Have we been in here yet? No. Okay. Just want to make sure. Is there anybody in here? No other person? No. Who? Who? There's no one else in here. Hold on. Let me have Jen get it. Show me where it is. Don't say it. Where is the phone? Yeah. Okay. Where's the laptop? Two phone and two uh three laptops. Okay. So, two phones and two laptops. Mhm. What about uh anything else? No. No. Okay. I'm going to send um Detective James back. Okay. We We'll hang out right here until you come back. Okay. We'll keep the door open for you to hang out right out here. We'll get it for you. Hold up. You have a like your wallet, your purse. Here, stay here. Table. Yeah. Okay. Okay. How many [clears throat] phones? Two. Two. Two. Two computers. Two phones. Uh, three. Three. Uh, one is my own and two is from my uh company. Company. Just want to sit back. Yeah. I Please. We're going to get them. Just hang out. You hang outside. So I also go to the drill. Yep. So I also want the children. What? Yes. I was just going to ask you. And also she wants to know if we can get her two phones. Two phones. Three phones. Two phone and three laptops. Two phones and three laptops. That she's the doors. 70 is sitting at the open door. Oh, okay. Um I just want to let you know that. Okay. Um that's inside the room. Okay. Three three laptops. Uh three laptops and two phones. Yes. Uh the laptops are yours. Yeah. All of them. What' you say about work? S program. No, the computer's from work, too. Uh yes. Yes. Two of them. Two. Yeah. One is from AIA and one's from CS will be. So, uh and the other one is my own laptop like for gaming. For gaming. Which one's yours? Uh, Mac. Mac. And the phones are both yours. Uh, yeah. Two phones here. Two phones. Okay. Do you have anything on you? Uh, no. No weapons, anything in your bra? No robes or anything like that? No. Who are you with? Who's that? Your boyfriend. Does he have keys? I don't know. You don't know? Okay. Oh, he got it. All right. Where are the keys? Where are the keys? From my exam. Is that your husband or boyfriend? Boyfriend. Okay. Okay. Huh? Where'd you get the car from? This car? Yeah. Yeah. Not my car. So, how can I know? Well, I don't know. If you're his boyfriend, I figure you know like where he bought it. Did he buy it like in New York? Did he buy it down here? Where did he buy it? Uh, I can say uh it should not be. I'm not sure. Did he buy car here? Oh, I'm not saying uh he not buy car here. He did not buy the car here. Oh, yeah. New York. I don't know. Hey, I have to wait here to all kinds of stuff. And there's more. The toilet is clogged. We need to take the toilet off. God knows what else is in there. Yeah, that's trash. Wait till you see this. Look at this. Yep. Crazy. Oh my god. Look at this. [clears throat] Yep. Okay. Can you do me a favor? Write a a statement for me. Sure. I am not allowed to go back in the apartment. Okay. Final thoughts. First and foremost, big shout out to Martin County Sheriff's Office for doing solid police work. Detectives and deputies executed the warrant, recovered a whole bunch of evidence, and shut down a professional level operation. Okay, look, these gift card frauds type of operations like this, it's not small time at all, man. It's organized. This multi-story theft is designed to drain real money from real people, man. And look, a sudden language barrier when the cubs come out, that's tragedy. That's not confusion. And that $300,000 Bentley at a cheap motel is not a lifestyle choice. It's very, very suspicious. These kids in the scheme were running game, man. Hope you learned something. Okay, so Cao Yuan Leu, and sorry if I mispronounced his name, pleaded guilty and was convicted of one count of conspiracy to possess 15 or more counterfeit or unauthorized access devices. He faces a maximum of 5 years in federal prison. However, no sentencing date has been set or announced at this time. His co-conspirator, Lingam Chen, fled the country and remains at large. Ring that bell to be notified for the next upcoming episode. Smash [snorts] that like button. Don't forget to subscribe. 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