Do Son 
At a glance
| Actor | Jinbin Ren, 38, a Chinese national who lived in Lynnfield, Massachusetts; co-conspirators unnamed in this indictment |
| Activity type | Gift card fraud, resale and export of high-value electronics, alleged wire fraud conspiracy |
| Victims | US consumers across multiple states, including targets of romance and elder fraud |
| Scale | No DOJ loss figure for this defendant; court records cited locally estimate $8-9 million in goods from one warehouse search |
| Status | Charged, not convicted; maximum penalty 20 years |
| Source | US Department of Justice press release 26-832 |
TL;DR
A federal grand jury in New Hampshire returned an indictment on 21 July 2026 charging Jinbin Ren, 38, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Prosecutors allege he ran a warehouse that converted stolen gift cards into Apple electronics bound for China. The charge carries a maximum of 20 years in prison.
What happened
According to the indictment, Ren and co-conspirators obtained gift cards stolen through romance fraud, elder fraud, hacking, and theft. They then spent those cards on high-value electronics. Shipments landed at a warehouse in Salem, New Hampshire, where the goods were consolidated and reshipped to China.
The group coordinated purchases, shipments, and cryptocurrency payments over WeChat, DOJ says. Local reporting on the indictment notes the cards were “purchased and activated throughout the United States but subsequently redeemed in China”. The alleged conduct ran from at least September 2021 through January 2024.
Who is behind it
DOJ names one defendant in this filing. Nothing has been proven, and the department closes its release with the standard caution: “An indictment is merely an allegation.” Ren is presumed innocent.
Three earlier defendants tied to the same New Hampshire network did plead guilty to wire fraud conspiracy in 2024. That gives the wider gift card fraud case a proven core, separate from these new allegations.
Impact and scale
DOJ published no dollar figure for Ren’s alleged role. Prosecutors have previously described the broader network as responsible for millions in consumer losses. A 2024 search of the Salem warehouse recovered roughly 4,000 iPhones, valued in court records at an estimated $8 to $9 million. Treat that as a court estimate rather than a confirmed total.
Investigators say the operation favoured New Hampshire because the state charges no sales tax.
How to stay protected
Gift cards are never a valid way to pay taxes, fines, or bail. Anyone demanding payment that way by phone is running a scam. Keep receipts and card numbers, since HSI has used them to identify victims for restitution.
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