Richmond RCMP has charged 44 year-old Chinese national and Richmond resident Bao Sheng Zhong with three counts of fraud for selling fake gold ingots and Buddha figurines to at least three local victims.
“To my knowledge, this arrest is perhaps the first publicized of its kind in Canada. This type of crime has occurred in other parts of the world,” stated Cpl. Dennis Hwang, who called the investigation “comprehensive and complex.”
Zhong allegedly posed as someone in the construction industry who had unexpectedly unearthed a treasure trove, said Hwang.
He said Zhong used sleight of hand tactics to swap out a fake piece with a real gold piece when having it appraised.
Hwang said tips came in after he publicized the scheme in the media back in March.
“We received a number of tips from our previous media release and that really helped focus our efforts. The commitment from our officers, especially Constable Xia and the Economic Crime Unit were exemplary,” said Hwang.
He added that in any private jewelry deal one should get an independent appraiser.
