Richmond RCMP say two people are facing charges in connection with a scheme involving so-called priceless gold Chinese artifacts.
The scheme, which has previously appeared in Richmond in 2010 and 2015, ends with the victim realizing they’ve purchased fake gold statues.
On Dec. 21 2017, a victim contacted Mounties, and after their incident was connected to one in Surrey, investigators say they were able to arrest 52-year-old Dejin Xu and 49-year-old Zhong Yang.
Both are Chinese nationals, and are facing two counts of fraud over $5,000 each.
“This is the second time Richmond RCMP have arrested individuals associated to this type of crime,” said Acting Cpl. Adriana Peralta. “But it’s a crime that knows no boundaries, with arrests reportedly having taken place in Japan, Singapore, and the United States.
In the 2015 case, Chinese national Bao Sheng Zhong was convicted of fraud and deported after selling fake gold Buddha figurines and ingots.
Mounties are recommending people have any gold pieces they bought individually and independently tested, and recommend they involve legal counsel to protect both themselves and the seller.
Richmond RCMP is asking anyone that may have been victimized by this scam or a similar one to contact the Richmond RCMP Economic Crime Unit by phone at 604-278-1212.
If they wish to remain anonymous, they can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.