Man pleads guilty to defrauding Knox County woman out of $95,000

SF. LOUIS, Mo. — A China man admitted Wednesday to taking $95,000 from a 79-year-old Knox County woman.

Dongyi Guo, 28, pleaded guilty in US District Court in St. Louis on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

He admitted that the conspirators began contacting the elderly victim in March 2024 through phone calls and e-mails, claiming to represent her financial institutions and/or the Social Security Office.

They falsely claimed that her financial accounts had been compromised and that she needed to withdraw cash from the bank to prevent theft.

The scammers told that woman that an employee of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) would pick up the money for safekeeping.

Federal prosecutors say Guo flew from New York to Chicago and then rented a car to get to the woman’s home.

On March 4, he withdrew $40,000 in cash. He took another $35,000 in cash the next day and $20,000 on March 6.

Guo’s co-conspirators continued to pressure the victim to provide more money.

Guo was arrested on March 7 during his attempt to take another $15,000.

The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2025. The conspiracy charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison time and a fine.

The Knox County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant US Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.