Bank questions man’s ID and foils large money laundering scheme, NC sheriff says
A complex money laundering operation was uncovered in North Carolina when bank employees noticed a customer had used a different ID the day before, according to investigators in Union County.
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It happened at the South State Bank in Weddingtion, and federal immigration officials say the 30-year-old suspect is in the country illegally.
The Union County Sheriff’s Office says South State Bank staff grew suspicious after noting a man believed to be Jing Chen had been at the bank two days in a row, using different identification to open business accounts.
“During the investigation, deputies were able to correctly identify the man as Yongxin Lin,” the sheriff’s office said in a July 22 news release.
“Lin was found to be in possession of nine different IDs, five of which belonged to real individuals, as well as three cell phones. Investigators determined that Lin had been opening business accounts at numerous locations across North Carolina.”
He was arrested June 30 and bond was set at $1,000,000, officials said. His next court date is Aug. 25.
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Investigators have not released details of how much money is involved and where it originated.
Lin lives in Elmhurst, New York, and ICE has lodged a detainer asking N.C. officials to hold him for deportation proceedings, court records show.
Among the fake documents were multiple driver’s licenses from Montana and New Jersey, a warrant says.
“This remains an active and ongoing investigation. Additional charges may be forthcoming as investigators continue to review evidence and work to identify any additional victims or individuals who may be involved,” the sheriff’s office said.
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Weddington is about a 20-mile drive southeast from uptown Charlotte.
