A 20-year-old man is behind bars after an alleged attempt to defraud a 78-year-old out of thousands of dollars. The incident underscores a concerning rise in elder fraud schemes, as reported by the Sonoma Sheriff's Office on social media. The victim was reportedly fooled into withdrawing $20,000 due to the manipulative tactics of individuals posing as bank and federal officials.

Yung-Wen Kuan, the arrested individual, is believed to have been part of a larger fraudulent operation. Last Monday, the victim was deceived by perpetrators impersonating staff from Redwood Credit Union and the Federal Reserve by having her hand over cash to a fake "Federal Marshal," and the following day, the culprits continued their ploy by attempting to coax an additional $20,000 from her.

In a swift sting operation conducted by detectives, Kuan was apprehended as he approached the victim's house to collect the second sum of money. After his arrest, his red Mercedes-Benz SUV was impounded and is being examined for further evidence that may lead to the identification of more individuals involved in the alleged crime. According to the Sonoma Sheriff’s social media post, Kuan is facing charges of grand theft, elder financial abuse, and conspiracy.