The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York said two Chinese nationals, Chen Zhuoying, also known as Jolene, 27, of Brooklyn, and Zhang Haojie, also known as Kevin, 38, of Queens, were arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn on July 16 on money laundering conspiracy charges. Prosecutors allege the pair ran a laundering network of more than 10 people in Queens and Brooklyn from 2020 to 2022. The operation allegedly used about 45 shell companies and 140 business bank accounts to move at least $43 million in proceeds from pig butchering investment scams into accounts in China. Authorities said the scams approached victims through social media or messaging apps, built trust with false promises of high-return investments, and then took the funds. The case was investigated jointly by Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. If convicted, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison.
Two Chinese nationals were arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn on July 16 on charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
The defendants were identified as Chen Zhuoying, also known as “Jolene,” 27, of Brooklyn, and Zhang Haojie, also known as “Kevin,” 38, of Queens.
Prosecutors allege that from 2020 to 2022, the two men managed a money laundering network of more than 10 people operating in Queens and Brooklyn. The network allegedly used about 45 shell companies and 140 business bank accounts to move at least $43 million in proceeds from pig butchering investment scams into accounts in China.
The announcement said pig butchering scams typically contact victims through social media or instant messaging platforms, gain their trust with fake high-return investment opportunities, and then disappear with the funds.
The case was investigated jointly by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
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