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Suspected scammer’s son implicated in local fraud scheme

Suspected scammer’s son implicated in local fraud scheme

Photo: Saga Communications/Dave Walker


WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A California man whose father is accused of stealing thousands of dollars in a local fraud scheme is now facing charges of his own.

My Bellingham Now previously reported that 55-year-old Xiaobun Zhou was arrested in May in connection to a series of scams that robbed a local resident of over $100,000.

Court documents state that Zhou’s 30-year-old son visited him in the Whatcom County Jail after his first appearance in court and the two spoke in a recorded conversation.

Zhou’s son said he had taken $20,000 from his father’s residence, which authorities believe were part of the stolen funds from the original fraud scheme. The recording was used to establish probable cause for the son’s arrest, and he was taken into custody on July 8.

He was released after meeting bond two days later and has his arraignment scheduled for Friday, July 18.

Zhou was released on July 8 and has a trial scheduled for September.

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