Chinese citizen faces federal indictment for gift card fraud at Lexington Meijer

LEXINGTON, Ky.–A federal grand jury indicted a Chicago resident Thursday on multiple charges, including wire fraud, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft, following an alleged scheme involving stolen credit card data and fraudulent gift card purchases at a Lexington Meijer.

Heng Yin, a Chinese national residing in Chicago, Illinois, was initially arrested on state charges in March at the Meijer store located on Paul Jones Way in the Hamburg area. Those charges included receiving goods valued between $1,000 and $10,000 by fraud, unlawful computer access, and misuse of electronic information.

According to the federal indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Yin allegedly used stolen credit card information loaded onto a digital wallet on his smartphone to make unauthorized purchases via the “Tap to Pay” method. This contactless payment scheme reportedly enabled Yin to buy numerous gift cards at self-checkout stations.

On March 21, 2025, Yin allegedly purchased 70 gift cards, totaling $4,825.30, using 107 different credit card numbers at the Meijer grocery store in Lexington. Investigators reported Yin initially concealed the gift cards beneath larger items during checkout to avoid detection. After successfully purchasing 60 gift cards, Yin allegedly stored them in his vehicle and returned to acquire additional cards.

The indictment details three specific instances of fraudulent purchases made using Chase Bank credit cards belonging to three victims. The unauthorized transactions ranged from approximately $53 to $93 per gift card.

In addition to the wire fraud and access device fraud charges, Yin faces charges of aggravated identity theft for unlawfully using the personal information of the credit card holders.

Federal authorities seized 85 gift cards, electronic devices, including an Apple iPhone, Samsung smartphone, Dell laptop, a thumb drive, and $9,628 in cash from Yin during the investigation.

If convicted, Yin faces significant penalties, including up to 20 years imprisonment for wire fraud charges, 10 years for access device fraud, and mandatory consecutive sentences for aggravated identity theft, along with substantial fines and forfeitures.