Description

I am writing to formally report that I have been the victim of a romance scam involving significant financial loss and identity fraud. Between July 1, 2024, and March 13, 2025, I was targeted by an individual using the name Franklin Ren, later identified as Jianhua Zhang. He initially contacted me through LinkedIn and continued communicating via WhatsApp, gradually gaining my trust through daily interactions and emotional manipulation. Over time, he persuaded me to invest large sums of money into what I now understand to be fraudulent cryptocurrency trading platforms. The FBI confirmed that the cryptocurrency activity was fraudulent on February 27, 2025. It was FBI Special Agent, Matt Thatcher who contacted me from the Omaha Office with a direct number (515)327-3413. Scam Details: Two addresses were given to me. Scammer's Name: Franklin Ren (aka Jianhua Zhang) Scammer's cel number: (408) 389-6912; (213) 849-8952 Address: 1357 Zion Court, Milpitas, CA 95035; 2840 New Deal Ave, El Monte, CA 91733 Contact Platforms: LinkedIn, WhatsApp Fraudulent Trading Websites: 1.qexbitast.com (July 2024) 2.qexbitxap.com (July–October 2024) 3.qexbit.xyz (October 2024–March 2025) 4.proexkps.com (February 2025) Total Financial Loss: Approximately $747,815 Payment Methods: A. Bank Wire Transfers: 9/12/24, 9/18/24, 10/11/24, 12/6/24, 12/9/24, 12/17/24 B. Cryptocurrency Transfers: 7/19/24, 7/22/24, 8/31/24, 9/9/24, 10/18/24 I also believe my personal identity has been compromised. I shared sensitive information - Driver's license including my full name, date of birth, address, and potentially banking details. I have since reported the identity theft to the credit bureaus and placed a fraud alert on my accounts. I can provide supporting documents, including transaction records, screenshots of conversations, and any relevant contact or account information. I humbly and urgently ask for your office’s assistance in investigating this matter. This experience has left me emotionally and financially devastated, and I am doing everything I can to recover. I am fully committed to cooperating with any investigation and will gladly provide any additional information or documentation that may help. Your support would mean everything to me at this time. Due to the overwhelming financial losses caused by this scam, I am currently in the process of filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy — a step I never imagined I would need to take. This has been an extremely painful experience, both financially and emotionally. I hope this report can help prevent others from falling victim to similar scams.