By El Latino Newsroom
A Fremont resident faces multiple felony charges in Ventura County for his alleged participation in a sophisticated computer fraud scheme targeting elderly residents, in which he allegedly collected $20,000 in cash from a local victim before being apprehended in a police sting operation.
Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced that Ze Li, 35, was arrested and formally charged for allegedly acting as a courier to collect stolen funds from an elderly resident. Following his arraignment on August 31, 2026, the defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges brought against him.
The formal complaint includes one felony count each of grand theft, theft from an elder or dependent adult, attempted grand theft, attempted theft from an elder or dependent adult, and two counts of conspiracy to commit a crime. Prosecutors also filed special allegations noting that the victim was particularly vulnerable and that the manner in which the crimes were planned and executed indicates a high degree of sophistication, professionalism, and premeditation.
Li remains in custody at the county detention facility with bail set at $250,000 as he awaits his next court appearance, a bail review hearing scheduled for Friday, September 4, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. in Courtroom 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court.
A Scheme Built on Fear and False Allegations
The fraudulent scheme began unfolding on August 4, 2026, when the victim, an elderly Ventura County resident whose identity has been withheld, encountered a pop-up message on his computer screen instructing him to call a telephone number falsely associated with Microsoft.
Upon calling the designated number, the victim was routed through several unidentified individuals before being connected with a person who identified himself as «Damian Myers.» During this conversation, the caller deployed aggressive psychological tactics and false accusations to manipulate the victim.
Myers falsely informed the elderly resident that an unauthorized $25,000 charge had been initiated from his Ventura County Credit Union account to purchase child pornography in China. Although the scammer claimed the fraudulent transaction had been intercepted, he told the victim that he needed to withdraw $25,000 in cash immediately to protect his remaining funds from further compromise.
Distressed by the allegations and fearful of losing his life savings, the victim followed Myers’ instructions and withdrew $20,000 in cash from two credit union branches, while also purchasing $5,000 in gift cards. Myers then instructed the victim to package the $20,000 in cash, claiming that a «Federal Trade Commission representative» would meet him in person to collect the money for safekeeping.
On August 5, 2026, Li allegedly met the victim at a location in Ventura and accepted the package containing $20,000 in cash before leaving the area. Following the transaction, the victim became suspicious of the encounter and reported the incident to law enforcement agencies.
Undercover Police Operation Leads to Arrest
The perpetrators continued contacting the victim in the weeks following the initial pickup. On August 26, 2026, Myers reached out to the victim once again to demand additional funds, prompting the resident to immediately notify law enforcement officers handling the investigation.
On August 27, 2026, detectives with the Ventura Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit, with assistance from District Attorney’s Office Investigators, conducted an operation in which Li was lured back to Ventura under the belief that he was picking up another $20,000 in cash from the victim.
Li allegedly met with the victim and accepted a package prepared by investigators that he believed contained $20,000 in cash. Officers intervened shortly afterward and took Li into custody without further incident.
Investigators believe Li functioned as a courier hired to pick up stolen funds for fraudsters operating outside Ventura County who systematically target elderly residents through computer-based scams. The case is being prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Dominic Kardum, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Fraud Technology Crimes Unit.
In light of the incident, the District Attorney’s Office urged all Ventura County residents, especially seniors and their families, to remain vigilant regarding common computer scam warning signs. Authorities highlighted that scammers often rely on artificial urgency, strict demands for secrecy, threats of legal action or arrest, unusual payment requests such as cash pickups or gift cards, and instructions isolating the victim from family members, financial institutions, or law enforcement.
Law enforcement officials encourage anyone who believes they may have fallen victim to a similar scam to contact District Attorney Investigator Eric Jensen at 805-662-1750.
