US EditionNY man accused of using ‘gold bar scam’ to steal $555,892 from Pennsylvania resident
EPHRATA, LANCASTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, JUL 14 – Zhong Ren, 44, faces theft and conspiracy charges for impersonating federal agents to steal $555,892 in gold bars from an elderly Pennsylvania resident, police said.
- Zhong Ren, a 44-year-old Brooklyn man, was arrested on July 11 in Lancaster County for allegedly stealing $555,892 in gold bars from an elderly woman in Ephrata, Pennsylvania.
- The arrest came after Ren and accomplices deceived the woman into converting her entire savings into gold bars during March and April 2025.
- Authorities from both Ephrata and Buckingham Police Departments have linked Ren to the case, charging him with multiple felonies including stealing property, plotting to commit theft, and falsely representing himself as a government official, while the stolen assets have yet to be recovered.
- Police believe Ren could be part of an international criminal organization specializing in scams like this, and Ephrata Police Investigator Matt Randolph urged the public to warn at-risk loved ones against exploitation.
- Ren was taken into custody and is being held at Lancaster County Prison on a bail amounting to $550,000. A preliminary court date has been arranged for July 18, as authorities continue to investigate potential additional suspects.
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WNTZ FOX 48+2 Reposted by 2 other sources
Man accused of using 'gold bar scam' to steal $555,892 from Pennsylvania resident
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — A New York man is accused of stealing gold bars worth over half a million dollars from a resident in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, using a scam that authorities say is becoming increasingly common nationwide. The victim, described as an elderly woman by police in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, contacted authorities in April to report that someone stole $555,892 worth of gold bars. Investigators said that the suspect, 44-…
NY Man Poses As Fed To Steal $555K In Gold Bars From PA Woman: Police
A man is accused of stealing over half a million dollars in gold bars from an elderly woman in Lancaster County by pretending to be a federal agent, authorities announced on Monday, July 14.Zhong Ren, 44, of Brooklyn, New York, was charged…
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