A New York man was taken into custody after Chambers County Sheriff’s Office detectives recovered around $50,000 that they believe was stolen from an elderly couple through a sophisticated fraud operation.
The Chambers County Sheriff’s Office said that on June 10, 2026, detectives performed a traffic stop near the 810-mile marker of Interstate 10 in Wallisville.
The information gathered during the stop prompted investigators to secure a search warrant for the vehicle.
During the search, officers uncovered around $50,000 in cash wrapped in bank bands.
As the enquiry progressed, officials discovered that the money belonged to an elderly couple from Jefferson County who had been targeted by scammers.
According to investigators, the victims got phone calls from someone impersonating a federal government representative. The caller allegedly convinced the couple that their identities had been stolen and their finances were in urgent jeopardy.
The couple handed over their money to people they felt were protecting their assets because they believed it needed to be safe.
Detectives identified the vehicle’s driver as New York resident Qinfei He.
He was arrested and charged with money laundering.
According to authorities, the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office is cooperating with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office as the investigation proceeds.
The seized cash is expected to be refunded to the victims.
Officials are reminding residents, particularly older citizens, that genuine government entities will never request cash transfers or ask them to turn over money for safekeeping as part of an enquiry.
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