CARTER COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) — A man who was reportedly seeking asylum in the United States was charged with fraud and financial exploitation of a Carter County woman, police released on Friday.

According to the Carter County Sheriff’s Office, an investigation began on Nov. 6, 2023, after a woman called 911 reporting she had been a victim of fraud.

The woman reportedly told police she had received a notification on her computer stating it had a virus and she needed to contact the number provided.

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

The woman was then told she needed to withdraw $30,500 from her financial institution to give to a man who would come to her home, the release stated.

The person on the phone reportedly told the woman not to inform anyone of the transaction.

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

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

Investigators then contacted the Department of Homeland Security Investigations due to
Zheng’s identification card being labeled as a temporary visitor to the United States.

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Crime Watch

An investigation found that Zheng had an active employment authorization document (EAD)
allowing him to work in the United States. He also reportedly applied for asylum in the United States, the CCSO stated.

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

Zheng was charged with the following:

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

Zheng was booked into the Carter County Detention Center on Wednesday. As of Friday, he remains without bond pending arraignment.

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