On October 30, 2025, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office in California arrested 56-year-old Oakland, California resident Zhangning Chen for serving as a money mule for a Social Security scam where
- The scammers will pose as federal officials to deceive their victims into thinking their bank accounts were compromised.
- In order to “safekeep” their money, the scammers will have their victims withdraw money and hand it off to a designated courier or money mule.
Chen is currently being held at the Sonoma County Jail on an enhanced $250,000 bail with charges of:
- Theft by False Pretenses
- Grand Theft
- Elder Abuse