Elder fraud (File Photo – scamalert)
A San Gabriel Valley woman was sentenced Tuesday, Nov. 18, to more than 10 years in federal prison for orchestrating a sweeping international money-laundering scheme that moved over $11.6 million in fraud proceeds stolen from hundreds of victims deceived by scammers posing as government or law-enforcement officials or computer-support technicians.
By News Desk
Cynthia Song, 43, also known as “Iris Song” and “Xin Wang,” of Arcadia, received a 121-month sentence from U.S. District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr., who also ordered her to pay $10,069,518 in restitution. She pleaded guilty on June 10 to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and has been in federal custody since October 2024.
Prosecutors said that between December 2022 and October 2024, Song helped move millions generated through impersonation and technical-support scams run by foreign-based fraud networks. Victims, many of them elderly, were tricked into sending large transfers, sometimes their entire savings, to U.S. bank accounts controlled by Song and her associates.
Song initially laundered funds through her own accounts. In one December 2022 instance, at least $170,850 from multiple victims was wired to an account she controlled under the business name SW Prosperity Real Estate Development LLC, and nearly all of it was quickly withdrawn and forwarded abroad.
She later assumed a managerial role, recruiting at least 15 additional money launderers and directing them to open dozens of business accounts used to receive and transfer the fraudulent proceeds. Song typically kept a 5% to 10% cut before sending the remainder to organizers in China and Hong Kong.
Investigators said she coached her recruits on avoiding bank scrutiny by supplying fabricated cover stories, victims’ driver’s licenses, and other documents to mask suspicious activity. When accounts were frozen, she and her co-conspirators shifted operations to new accounts and personnel.
In total, the network moved at least $11,692,931 from about 180 victims nationwide. Roughly $2,736,240 was ultimately frozen or recovered by financial institutions. In her plea agreement, Song admitted she knew the funds were criminal in origin and warned her recruits that the money was not “clean.”
Prosecutors emphasized the profound harm suffered by victims. “Some lost their entire life savings; others continue to experience shame, regret, and depression,” they wrote, noting that many older victims may never financially recover.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Roach of the General Crimes Section prosecuted the matter.
Individuals age 60 or older who have experienced financial fraud can contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). The hotline operates daily from 3:00 am to 8:00 pm. Pacific Time and provides multilingual support, assistance with reporting, and resources for victims.
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