An Ypsilanti man has entered a guilty plea for his involvement in an extensive online refund scheme, as confirmed by United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr., alongside Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge from the FBI's Detroit Division. Mubasher Riaz, alongside his brother Muzzammil Riaz, orchestrated fraudulent transactions and refund claims across numerous online vendors, cumulatively defrauding businesses to the tune of more than $400,000.
In this elaborate scheme that spanned from July 2017 until their November 2023 apprehension, both defendants used fraudulent identities and various digital manipulation tactics, like virtual private networks and diverse electronic devices, to elude the detection of their fraudulent activities by unsuspecting online vendors, and after securing the goods ranging from tech gadgets to apparel, they duped the sellers with false claims of defective products, then returned empty boxes or counterfeit items. This tactic ensured they could profit by reselling the illegally obtained merchandise, according to court documents.
The deceit unraveled following a search warrant execution at Mubasher Riaz's residence in November 2023, where FBI agents, initially investigating the man for an unrelated case involving sexual exploitation of children, stumbled upon convincing evidence of the fraud, including a stash of labeled cell phones and tablets each tagged with different identities that had been used in the scheme. The United States Attorney's Office reported a list of email accounts linked to the operation, urging any potential victims to come forward and contact federal authorities.
The Riaz brothers' guilty pleas shine a light on the growing threat of cybercrime in today's digital shopping landscape, with Muzzammil admitting to his lesser role on June 4, 2025, both accepting responsibility for the cunning deceit they orchestrated to exploit hundreds of vendors, this case now progresses with Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Zurek leading the prosecution, showing the resolve of law enforcement to clamp down on such fraudulent activities. Victims of the scheme are encouraged to seek assistance through a dedicated FBI portal, ensuring their plights are addressed and justice is duly served in this distressing example of criminal exploitation.
