Man arrested after fraud investigation in Carter County | WJHL

CARTER COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) – A man who reportedly sought asylum in the United States has been charged with fraud and financial exploitation of a Carter County woman, police announced Friday.

According to the Carter County Sheriff’s Office, the investigation began on November 6, 2023, after a woman called 911 and reported that she had been the victim of a scam.

The woman told police that she had received a notification on her computer that it was infected with a virus and that she needed to call the number provided.

“The woman said she called the number and was told someone was trying to access child pornography on her computer,” the CCSO said in a news release. “She was then transferred to the ‘fraud unit’ after the person on the phone told her someone was trying to access her financial information and bank account.”

The woman was then told that she needed to withdraw $30,500 from her bank to give to a man who was coming to her home, the press release said.

The person on the phone allegedly asked the woman not to tell anyone about the transaction.

A man later identified by police as Xiaozhong Zheng, 50, of Brooklyn, New York, came to the house, showed the woman identification and took the money.

The CCSO said the woman told police that Zheng laughed when she handed him the money.

The investigators then contacted the Department of Homeland Security Investigations due to
Zheng’s identification card reads “a temporary visitor to the United States.”

An investigation revealed that Zheng had a valid work permit (EAD)
he has been allowed to work in the United States. He has also reportedly applied for asylum in the United States, the CCSO said.

On May 1, a warrant was issued for Zheng’s arrest. He was arrested in Gwinnett County, Georgia, and extradited to Carter County.

Zheng was accused of:

• Financial exploitation of elderly or vulnerable people
• Fraud
• Theft of property

Zheng was taken to the Carter County Detention Center on Wednesday. As of Friday, he remains without bail pending arraignment.