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On August 24, 2023, Wei Song, 59, of Egg Harbor Township pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree money laundering and one count of second-degree identity theft. Her plea calls for a sentence of 15 years in New Jersey State Prison, with seven and a half years of parole ineligibility, as well as a five-year sentence to run concurrently.
This case involved a multi-year social engineering scheme that resulted in financial losses of over $600,000 from one victim and over $75,000 in identity theft damages. The defendant preyed upon the victim, convincing her to invest her life savings in what was purported to be a business investment, which in reality never existed.
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At the same time, Song pretended to be the victim and used her identity for financial gain.
The case against Wei Song’s co-defendant, Botao Liu, is still pending in court.
Assistant Prosecutor Jasmine Ostrow represents the State in this matter. This was a cooperative investigation by the Galloway Township Police Department and the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office’s Financial Crimes Unit. Additional assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Internal Revenue Service, Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office, United States Secret Service, New Jersey State Police, Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
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Sentencing Date
Sentencing is scheduled for October 19, 2023 before the Honorable Dorothy Garrabrant, J.S.C.
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