Attorney General Jackley Announces California Man Sentenced To Prison, Ordered to Pay $325,000 Restitution for Internet Scam

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Contact: Tony Mangan, Communications Director, 605-773-6878

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces that a California man has been sentenced to eight years in prison and ordered to pay $325,000 in restitution after earlier pleading guilty in connection to an internet scam involving a Lawrence County couple in a theft of at least $325,000.

Chao Zheng, 30, of Monterey, CA, was sentenced Tuesday in Lawrence County Circuit Court. In February, he had pleaded guilty to one felony count of Aiding and Abetting Grand Theft of more than $100,000 but less than $500,000 by Deception. As a Chinese National, Zeng also faces the possibility of deportation.

“Thank you to the victims who had the courage to come forward to report this crime and the investigators for their work,” said Attorney General Jackley. “We encourage all consumers who receive such solicitations via the internet or telephone not to respond but to call law enforcement or someone you trust.”

The crimes occurred between July 26, 2024 and Aug. 23, 2024, when the couple received pop-up messages on their laptop computer from “Microsoft Security.” They were asked to call a “fraud investigator” at a bank and ordered to pay large amounts of money to cover so-called commissions of crimes that had been found on their accounts.  The couple paid the money three different times.

Zheng was arrested when he tried to personally collect a fourth payment on Aug. 23, 2024. The exact amount of money stolen has not yet been determined.  

The case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office. The Attorney General’s Office and Lawrence County State’s Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.

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