Ogdensburg scam case: Two charged men miss St. Lawrence County arraignment
Two Chinese nationals charged in an alleged scam targeting an elderly Ogdensburg woman missed their St. Lawrence County arraignment, and a bench warrant was issued for their arrest.
By Caleb Mercer, ClickNNY North Country Desk
Two Chinese nationals charged in connection with an alleged elder scam in Ogdensburg missed a St. Lawrence County arraignment, and a bench warrant was issued for their arrest, according to court-related reporting and public records cited in the case.
The men face grand larceny and conspiracy charges. Court documents indicate an alleged caller posed as a Federal Trade Commission employee and told an elderly Ogdensburg woman she owed money. The men were accused of coming to Ogdensburg to collect another $50,000 after the woman had already paid $53,000.
Ogdensburg police arrested the men in March 2026 after the woman contacted police when the callers allegedly returned seeking more money. Agencies involved in the arrests included Ogdensburg and Massena police, Homeland Security, New York State Police, the St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Office and the St. Lawrence County District Attorney's Office.
A Sept. 24 release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York identified Chun Yan, 42, as a Chinese citizen who allegedly entered the country illegally from Mexico in 2023. The release said Yan was accused of taking $53,000 from the woman in February after telling her a federal agent would freeze her assets unless she paid the FTC. It said he later returned seeking an additional $50,000.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said Yan was arrested by Ogdensburg police on March 19, released by local police the next day and detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. U.S. District Judge Meredith A. Vacca denied Yan's habeas petition, citing the Laken Riley Act.
Defense attorneys told the judge the two men had been deported before the scheduled court date. The federal release, however, said Yan remained in ICE custody while awaiting removal. The criminal charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The next court date and the status of the bench warrant were not included in the available information. Updates may come through the Ogdensburg City Court, the St. Lawrence County District Attorney's Office or Ogdensburg police.
The case comes amid broader concerns about imposter scams. The Federal Trade Commission said people reported losing $3.5 billion to imposter scams in 2025.
Reported by ClickNNY and reviewed by an editor before publication.
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