Fake Federal Agents, Real Cash Pickups: Courier Pleads Guilty to Laundering $597,000 From 24 Victims

Published Oct. 9, 2026. Case statuses are current as of that date.

A caller claiming to be a U.S. Marshal says there is a warrant for your arrest and your bank accounts are about to be frozen. To "protect" your savings, you must withdraw it in cash and hand it to a federal employee who will come to your door. Federal prosecutors in California say that script cost one elderly victim more than $700,000, and that a San Jose man was one of the people who showed up to collect.

Binghui Liu, 33, formerly of San Jose, California, pleaded guilty on Oct. 5, 2026, to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California announced [1][2]. Prosecutors say that in March and April 2025 alone, Liu took about $597,100 from 24 victims in California and Nevada [1].

Note on status: Liu has pleaded guilty but has not been sentenced. The release does not name any co-conspirators, and we have not named anyone else.

How the scam worked

According to court documents described by prosecutors, the scheme ran from about February 2024 to April 2025 [1]:

1. The threat. Scammers posing as federal law enforcement officers or employees contacted victims and falsely said criminal charges had been filed against them and that their bank accounts would be frozen.
2. The "safekeeping" pitch. Victims were told to withdraw their savings in cash and surrender it "for safekeeping."
3. Coaching. In one case described by prosecutors, a caller posing as a U.S. Marshal said there was an arrest warrant and told an elderly victim to "protect" the money by turning it over to supposed Federal Reserve employees. The scammers coached the victim on how to withdraw the cash, what to tell the bank, and how to package the money.
4. Proof photos and code words. "The scammers used fake names, code words, and directed the victims to take pictures of themselves and the cash packaged for pickup," prosecutors said [1].
5. The pickup. A supposed federal official arrived at the victim's home to collect the cash. In the U.S. Marshal case, prosecutors say Liu and other co-conspirators arrived impersonating federal officials, and the victim lost more than $700,000 in total.

Prosecutors say the scammers operated both inside and outside the United States, including in India [1].

The pattern is widespread. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center received nearly 61,000 complaints of law enforcement or government impersonation scams between January 2025 and July 2026, with losses of more than $1.6 billion, according to a September 2026 FBI public service announcement [3].

The person who pleaded guilty

Binghui Liu, 33, formerly of San Jose [1]:

• Role, per prosecutors: Served as a money launderer for co-conspirators. Between March and April 2025, he took approximately $597,100 from 24 victims throughout California and Nevada. He used code words and fake names, and victims were told he was a federal employee or law enforcement officer. Prosecutors stress that "at no point was Liu a federal law enforcement officer or federal employee."
• Arrest: On April 9, 2025, agents set up a sting. Liu arrived at a victim's house and took what he believed was $20,000; it was fake money [1][2].
• Plea: Guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, Oct. 5, 2026, in federal court in Fresno.
• Sentencing: Scheduled for Jan. 4, 2027, before U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved, whichever is greater. The actual sentence will be set by the judge.
• Investigators and prosecutors: The FBI investigated; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody S. Chapple and Arelis M. Clemente are prosecuting.

Prosecutors are asking anyone with information, or anyone who believes they may be a victim, to report it at tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) [1].

Red flags

• A caller says you're under investigation, facing a warrant, or about to have accounts frozen, and the fix is to move your money.
• Anyone who wants to collect cash in person for "safekeeping," including people claiming to be from the Federal Reserve, U.S. Marshals, FBI, FTC or Social Security. The FBI says: "Law enforcement and government officials will never request payment via prepaid cards, cryptocurrency, or courier" [3].
• Coaching on what to tell your bank teller, or instructions to keep the call secret from family, friends or your bank.
• Requests to photograph yourself with the packaged cash, or to use a code word with the person who comes to the door.
• Caller ID that shows a real agency. The FBI warns that scammers often spoof authentic phone numbers, names and credentials [3].

What to do if you're targeted

1. Hang up. Then call the agency yourself using a number from its official website, not the one the caller gave you [3].
2. Call your bank using the number on your card. Tell the bank someone is pressuring you to withdraw cash.
3. Never hand cash, gold or checks to a courier. No government agency collects money at your door.
4. Already handed over money? Stop all contact, notify your financial institutions, call your local police, and file a complaint at ic3.gov with phone numbers, messages and payment details [3]. In this case, a victim's report led to a sting that ended with an arrest [1].
5. Age 60 or older? The DOJ Elder Justice Hotline, 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311), can help you report [4].

Case status (as of Oct. 9, 2026)

Defendant	Court	Status as of Oct. 9, 2026	Source
Binghui Liu, 33, formerly of San Jose, Calif.	U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California (Fresno)	Pleaded guilty Oct. 5, 2026, to conspiracy to commit money laundering; sentencing set for Jan. 4, 2027	[1], [2]

Statuses can change. A guilty plea is not a sentence.

Sources

1. U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of California, "Chinese national pleads guilty to $597,000 money laundering conspiracy that took life savings from victims in California and Nevada," Oct. 5, 2026 (as distributed by Public). https://www.pubt.io/view/CB4C97FBD070ECBDCC42F6FBDDF556F4D411B97C
2. Tim Fang, "Man pleads guilty to scamming nearly $600K from victims in California, Nevada," CBS San Francisco, Oct. 5, 2026. https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/600k-scam-california-nevada-victims-binghui-liu-san-jose-money-laundering-conviction/
3. FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, "Scammers Impersonating Law Enforcement and Government Officials in Fraud Schemes," PSA, Sept. 17, 2026. https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2026/PSA260917
4. FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, "Scammers Use Couriers to Collect Cash in Cryptocurrency Investment Scams," Alert I-061526-PSA, June 15, 2026 (includes Elder Justice Hotline information). https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2026/PSA260615

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