SPOKANE, Wash – Federal prosecutors in Spokane have indicted two people for fraud and trafficking in stolen goods, related to the theft of more than $150,000 worth of iPads.
Prosecutors say Zhangbo Liang and Linda You devised a scheme to defraud Target.
According to the indictment, Liang and You bought iPads from Target stores, took them out of the boxes, placed counterfeit iPads in the boxes, then resealed them.
They’re accused of then returning the iPads to the Target stores and getting refunded with Target gift cards.
Prosecutors say they used the gift cards to get more iPads and other goods from Target and do the same scheme all over again.
The indictment says between January and June, they returned approximately 140 iPads to Target stores and obtained a refund amount of $163,000.
Federal prosecutors say this happened at Target stores in Yakima and Richland.
Both are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit access device fraud, conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods and transportation of stolen goods.
They’re facing federal judges Thursday in Spokane and Richland.
COPYRIGHT 2024 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
