Arrest in fraudulent Nintendo purchase investigation marks third case in a month

SPANISH FORK — Utah County prosecutors have charged a California man in connection with a scheme involving the purchase of Nintendo game systems using the tap-to-pay method.

The incident marks the third arrest in recent weeks involving similar crimes. Police have not said whether the incidents are connected.

Ye Zhang, 32, of El Monte, California, was charged Friday in 4th District Court with money laundering, a second-degree felony; three counts of unlawful use or possession of a financial card and communications fraud, third-degree felonies; and unlawful use of a financial card, a class B misdemeanor.

On Aug. 21, Zhang attempted "to purchase Apple and Nintendo electronics using tap to pay with financial cards that did not belong to him" at Costco in Spanish Fork, according to charging documents. "The four-item purchase included an iPad 11, a Nintendo Switch 2, and two KBell 10-pack gift cards."

When confronted by store security, however, who requested identification, Zhang ran from the store and drove away, the charges state.

Investigators used License Plate Reader machines to track the vehicle to Provo, West Jordan and eventually Cottonwood Heights.

"Ye was also found to have stopped at a GameStop location where he purchased a Nintendo Switch 2 using tap to pay," according to the charges.

Police located Zhang in a Home Depot parking lot. Detectives searched the trunk of his car and found "five unopened Nintendo Switch 2 consoles, an unopened Costco bundle, an unopened iPad Pro, an unopened remote control car and an unopened Lego set. A Home Depot receipt showed purchases of shipping boxes and a gift card," the charges state. "The investigation also notes GameStop locations in Provo, Orem, and American Fork tied to similar purchases of Nintendo Switch 2 consoles."

Zhang claimed to police that "he traveled to multiple states for leisure and that a friend paid him to purchase the items," the charges state.

His arrest is the latest in a recent string of similar cases.

Wei Qin, 52, of Alberta, Canada, was arrested Wednesday for investigation of unlawful use of a financial card, communications fraud, money laundering and unlawful possession of a financial card, and accused of attempting to purchase two Nintendo Switch 2 consoles at a Sandy GameStop using the tap-to-pay method.

Officers searched his vehicle in the parking lot and "in plain view we could see gift cards inside a Home Depot bag and papers on the dashboard and passenger seat listing each day planned out. The list showed Day 1 and had several retail stores listed on each line, including Home Depot, Lowe's, Best Buy and GameStop," according to police booking affidavit.

Last month, Orem police arrested Shijian Ni, 19, of Los Angeles for investigation of communications fraud, money laundering, engaging in a pattern of unlawful activity, unlawful use of a bank card, drug possession and use of drug paraphernalia. Ni is accused of using illegally obtained bank cards to purchase Apple and Nintendo products at Costco stores across Utah and Salt Lake counties, then shipping them out of state.

Related topics