Maine Police Arrest A New York Resident For $100K Fraud Scheme

Maine Police and the FBI arrested a New York man for a scam that bilked a Maine resident out of $100K in gold bars.

Police Learned That a Maine Resident Converted Cash to Gold Bars in the Scheme

Zhangqi Xie, 44, of Flushing, New York is charged with theft by deception. His arrest resulted from a joint operation between several state agencies and the FBI.

Cumberland Police Chief Charles Rumsey says his department received a report on March 5, 2025, from a resident who said they had fallen victim to a sophisticated online fraud scheme that convinced them to turn $100,000 into gold bars, which was then turned over to a courier.

READ MORE: E-Z Pass Issues 'Special Alert' to All Maine Drivers

Maine Police Arrested the Suspect When He Allegedly Came Back for More Assets

Investigators determined the scheme was still active when the perpetrators tried to get more assets from the victim. A targeted sting operation was set up and, on March 10, 2025, authorities took Zhangqi Xie into custody as he was allegedly on his way to meet the victim.

Xie is being held in the Cumberland County Jail on $500,000 bail. If convicted of theft by deception, he faces up to 10 years in prison and up to $20,000 in fines.

This Type of Online Fraud is Being Seen More and More in Maine

Chief Rumsey says all levels of Maine law enforcement have responded to a higher frequency of incidents involving in-person encounters between victims and courier impersonators. Anyone who feels they may have been victimized is urged to contact their local law enforcement agency.

The FBI has a public service announcement that warns people about these types of scams, which often target senior citizens, demanding that they liquidate their assets into cash and/or buy gold, silver, or other precious metals to protect their funds. The crooks then arrange for couriers to meet the victims and pick up the cash or precious metals.