They steal the cards. Yes, they're taking the cards and they're replacing it at an at another Oh, okay. That makes more sense. >> So then when you buy this card and you scan it, say you want 100 bucks on it. >> to their they already have it in >> or whatever it is. Deputies in Florida exposed a nationwide gift card fraud ring run by two foreign nationals now facing federal charges and immigration detainers. What started in a grocery store aisle has turned into serious prison time and possible deportation. On December 17th, 2024 in Stuart, Florida, deputies with the Martin County Sheriff's Office responded to a grocery store after an employee reported two individuals tampering with a gift card display. The suspects were identified as Kaiyu Liu and Lingam Chen, both Chinese nationals. Investigators soon connected them to similar cases across Manatee, Sarasota, Lee Counties, and North Port, linking the pair to a broader theft operation throughout the state. Hello, how's it going? Do me a favor, have a seat. What? Have a seat for me. Me? You doing one? You guys got your IDs on you? Yeah. Let me get that, please. Let me get your ID, please. So I uh She's getting it? Yeah, yeah. Okay, have a seat for me. Okay. Thank you, guys. Both out of New York? All right. Do you know why we're here? What? Do you know why I'm here talking to you guys right now? Okay, I'll explain it to you in a minute, all right? I'm 652 ID card numbers. Both IDs are out of New York. I'm in Can I just find her back? Um I'm thinking I'm going to take him by car so we can separate them. They stop talking with each Is it in the message? You have a warrant. You have a warrant. Me? He did. No, no. Sit. Sit. He had a warrant. What's this warrant? He had a warrant out of a different county for his arrest. Out of Sarasota. A warrant. Can you translate for me? Chinese? Hold on. So, what should I do? Should I go with him? No, hold on. So, for what? I I I think What is which area? Theft. Which area? Like New York or California? I don't know. I'm unsure. I didn't I will let you know more information. Here you go. Can I get to my phone because you Right now, you're detained. Hold on. Yep, you're going to sit. Detained until Until we can figure out what happened. Just 1 minute. 1 minute, okay? For me? Yeah, just sit. How are you? Good? Do you speak English? Um a little bit. A little bit. Stand up. You have a little Um I don't know what questions I need to check all the things and stuff that we need to get out of here. Are your stuff still in the room? Yes, all the stuff that I have here. We'll let the manager know. Out of 7 1050. You want to get something out of your room? Out there. Do you have Do you have something you want to get out like a phone or something? Um Do you have ID? Uh Brian has a Brian ID. >> car uh my >> He's found on highway 27. laptop. Laptop? You can get your laptop. >> Uh it's because it's from my uh companies, from my >> Okay. So I need >> that. Do you have your phone? Uh yes. >> Okay. Is there a problem? Yes, I was going to ask you. And also she wants to know if we can get her two phones two phones? Three phones? Two phone and three laptops. Two phones and three laptops. She's door number 70 sitting at the open door. Oh, okay. Um According to deputies, the scheme involved removing brand new gift cards, scratching off the protective seals to record account numbers and PINs, then resealing the packaging and placing the cards back on store shelves. In some cases, cards were swapped with ones stolen from other locations. Customers would unknowingly purchase the compromised cards only to discover the funds had already been drained once activated. Detectives believe the operation affected numerous stores across South Florida, leaving behind significant financial losses. So who's the So how are we 70 sitting Who gets char- Who's the victim? St. Says right now it's Publix cuz they're the ones that own the or it's their property, which Not technically >> I can't in my brain make it make sense because I it they don't. I know. Whatever the gift cards Wouldn't it be the The whoever the gift card. >> of the gift card. Right, which is I don't know gift cards they have. >> Well, right now we got Macy's, we got Home Depot, Amazon. Dick's, all kind of stuff being stolen, yeah. And that's just what my guys are finding today. That's not what else >> what is What are they doing? Did you see video? Yeah, I went to the store. So, they they come in with stacks of cards that they've already cut from another store and they take the numbers and they re package that, they reseal it with like hot glue, the the little brown package the gift card comes in. So, like the girl walks in and goes to like Amazon or Target and takes a stack of them. Basically walks away and then the guy comes in with the other ones that they've already cut and he puts them back in place. So, they now take the uncut cards and they go cut them somewhere else and it looks like they go to another store and replace them. So, when I buy a gift card, I ring it up and I put 100 bucks on it to Publix and then I go and give it to him and he opens it later, the card's cut, the numbers are cut out of and >> [clears throat] >> as soon as I activate a Publix manager told me as soon as I pay for it at Publix 100 bucks, somehow they get notice of that serial number or that number and they're able to use it online or whatever. And you might not open it for till next month or 6 months. >> it immediately. Immediately, as soon as I pay for it and I put 100 bucks on it. I'm assuming it gets activated when you Stop once I'm over here past that. When you when you do this right here, when you when they scan it and they and they tell you how much you want to put on it, 100 bucks, and then it probably goes to whatever card was connected to this one. But, they already have the numbers ready to go. It's probably already implemented like into a wall or something. >> cards and then replacing them with old cards. >> No, no, no. So, so they take this card, they open it up, take the card inside it, take the numbers off of it and they probably download it into like a wallet. Okay. And then they reseal it and And they take it, they steal the cards, yes, they're taking the cards and they're replacing it at an at another Oh, okay. That makes more sense. So then when you buy this card and you scan it, say 100 bucks on it. >> to their they already have it. >> wallet or whatever it is. They have the original number. >> Cuz they already activated it. Yeah, they already activated it through their thing. Okay. Authorities say the couple had been in Florida since April and allegedly traveled to multiple cities including Orlando, Fort Myers, Naples, Fort Lauderdale and Miami as part of the operation. What investigators uncovered was not random shoplifting but a coordinated fraud scheme spanning several counties and tied to a larger nationwide network. Like here's here's my public's one. So some of them they they peel the sticker off. But some of them they cut the top section of the card. See that whole section's missing? >> Yeah. They cut it right off. Okay. But some of them and then they're putting this They're stealing the numbers and then putting the cards back in. >> Yeah, they put the card back in, they glue it shut. I mean it's a great scam because think of it, Christmas right now. Yeah, everybody's like it. Yeah, everyone's buying this stuff. Yeah, I don't know what to buy you so I'm just going to get you a card. Please. And then he opens it and it's cut and The $100 would be for you. So then I guess if at that point once I pay for it I'm the victim. I put $100 on it. >> yeah. That's what we're trying to figure out. And then whoever owns them They're stealing the cards or they're damaging it. It's not public. But here's the thing also the manager, she's she saw what they did which she said they put on so she pulled all them. Some of them she mistook, opened them and they weren't cut or taken out. Good gift card but she's throwing it in the garbage. Jesus. And I said what, don't you have to give it back to Amazon or something? She goes no, they don't they don't deal with it at all. That's what I mean. They they didn't nobody put money on it and they're I guess they're not taking a loss on the actual physical card cuz it costs them to make those cards. So I don't know if Amazon wants to be a victim. Well, we don't know who wants to See, that's the whole problem is is That's why we need the state to take over the victim and then Go after. Yeah, Kristen said no. Kristen, Chase? It has to be Publix. She's Publix, but I Publix has to has to have a service with them because >> Cuz they're purchasing >> And they got to be getting money from that. Like every time that they do a a gift card, they have to be getting money back from She said, "Who has the property right now?" That's who the victim is. Publix. Sure. We'll let Publix be the victim. I mean, there's no monetary loss at this point. It's just a scheme to defraud, so I we can just make it Publix. Yeah. Yeah. I guess Cuz they are scheming to defraud Publix. They are doing that. What's Maybe Publix is actual victim since they cut the card and Publix still possesses it as theirs to sell. And it's a damage damage purchase damage And you're giving the money to Publix to put it on the card. Yeah, but it's but it's just going on a card that's yours. >> Yeah. Yeah, but they're taking possession of the cash. But it's just being transferred eventually. Like It's whoever is going to buy the card. Right. Right. Look at this stuff that came out of the toilet. Yeah. Look at this. Yeah. God. All kinds of stuff. Yeah. And there's more. The toilet is clogged. We need to take the toilet out. I don't know what else is in there. Yeah, that's trash. Okay. And then we found Look at this. Look at this glove. Look at this. Yeah. Yeah, we found hundreds in there. Oh my god, look at this. Yep. Okay. Can you do me a favor, write a a statement for me? Sure. I'm going to go put this back in my car. I am not allowed to go back in the apartment. The case ultimately moved into federal court. Kaiyuan Liu pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess more than 15 unauthorized access devices, a charge carrying a potential sentence of up to 5 years in prison. Both suspects were booked into the Martin County Jail and immigration detainers were placed on them. Liu identified as undocumented and Chen reportedly in the US on a student visa. Along with criminal penalties, they now face ongoing immigration proceedings that could result in removal from the United States. If you want to see more real body cam cases exposing immigrants involved in serious crimes and the deportations that follow, make sure to like, share, and subscribe so you don't miss the next one.