WILLOUGHBY, Ohio — Three men have pleaded guilty in connection with stealing nearly $100,000 from an elderly Willoughby resident.
According to the Willoughby Police Department, Bingzhi Deng, Xiaojing Wu and Long Zhang, who were in the country illegally, were arrested on Dec. 3, 2025. The three have pleaded guilty to attempted theft from a person in a protected class, a third-degree felony, and possessing criminal tools, a fifth-degree felony.
The department said a joint investigation with the FBI began after it was alerted on Nov. 20, 2025, involving an elderly woman who lost around $93,000.
On Dec. 3, a sting was conducted, and the three defendants were arrested after accepting $40,000 in fake money as part of the operation.
The trio is set to be sentenced on June 4.
The police department said a fourth individual was identified in connection and arrested on Jan. 14. That person is awaiting trial and is being held in jail in lieu of a $250,000 bond.
Any Willoughby resident who believes they have been targeted by a scam is asked to contact the police department at 440-953-4212.
