The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office has secured guilty pleas in a high stakes elder fraud case that targeted a local senior through an incredibly elaborate and terrifying scheme. Shaohua Sun of Monterey Park and Yanwen Gu of Rosemead both pled guilty to felony conspiracy to commit elder abuse following a fast moving investigation by the Ventura Police Department.
According to official statements from District Attorney Erik Nasarenko the defendants admitted that the crime involved a high level of planning and professionalism and that they intentionally targeted a particularly vulnerable victim.
Before entering his plea Sun surrendered twenty five thousand dollars in cash which represents full restitution for the victim in this case.
The fraud began on March 18 2026 when the victim received a deceptive text message about a fake Apple Store purchase which led him to call a number provided by the scammers. Once on the phone a co-conspirator used fear tactics by claiming the victim's credit union account was linked to illegal materials based in Canada. The senior was then directed to a fake fraud department where a caller named Jade instructed him to withdraw twenty five thousand dollars in cash to be surrendered as evidence to an undercover officer.
The scammers even provided a secret code phrase for the victim to use during the handoff in Ventura. After the initial exchange occurred the victim and his spouse realized they had been defrauded and contacted the Ventura Police Department.
The case took a turn when the scammers contacted the victim a second time while he was being interviewed by detectives from the Street Crimes Unit. This time the criminals demanded fifty thousand dollars in cash. Ventura Police detectives quickly coordinated a sting operation and monitored the communications as the suspects arranged a second meeting.
On March 19 2026 Gu approached the victim and accepted a code phrase before taking a package she believed contained fifty thousand dollars. She was immediately arrested after trying to flee on foot and Sun was apprehended nearby after officers determined he was acting as a lookout.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office notes that these types of crimes are part of a disturbing trend of elder exploitation that often originates from fraud networks operating outside of the United States. In this instance the quick thinking of the victim to report the crime allowed police to stop the operation before a second massive payment was lost. Both Sun and Gu now face up to four years in custody and two years of formal probation.
Gu is scheduled for sentencing on June 9 2026 and Sun will follow on June 12. Both defendants remain in custody with bail set at five hundred thousand dollars as they await their final judgment in the Ventura County Superior Court.
When we look at cases like this it is clear that permanent removal from the community is often the only way to protect our most vulnerable residents. Predators who use psychological warfare and fear to steal a seniors life savings are not making a simple mistake but are operating a professional criminal enterprise. When a defendant admits to targeting someone because they are vulnerable it proves they lack any sense of empathy or remorse.
A four year sentence may not even be enough for the lifelong trauma caused to a victim who was made to feel like a criminal in their own town.
Keeping these individuals behind bars is the bare minimum required for public safety and to send a message that Ventura County will not tolerate those who prey on the elderly.
While many support the maximum possible prison time for elder abuse there is an opposing viewpoint regarding the sentencing of non violent financial crimes. Some legal advocates argue that state prisons should be reserved for those who commit acts of physical violence, and that financial crimes should instead be handled through long term electronic monitoring and strict financial monitoring.
Critics of long sentences for fraud often point out that if the restitution has been paid as it was in this case the primary goal of the justice system has been met.
However prosecutors argue that without significant jail time there is no real deterrent for professional scam artists who view restitution as just another cost of doing business. The debate continues over whether rehabilitation is possible for those who choose to exploit the elderly for a living.