WILLIAMSPORT — An elaborate computer scam operated by Chinese nationals bilked unsuspecting computer users, including the elderly, out of millions of dollars, according to a federal indictment.

An indictment unsealed Thursday in U.S. Middle District Court states members of the conspiracy directed victims in central Pennsylvania and elsewhere to transfer at least $4.4 million through fraudulent representations and promises.

Eight Chinese nationals who are in the United States on student visas to attend college, including two who attended Penn State, have been charged.

The most recent was Lei Bao, 22, of New York City, who was arraigned Thursday and ordered detained.

The indictments of former Penn State students Yankun Jiang, 24, and Hanlin Yang, also 24, were unsealed in February 2024.

Others named in a second superseding indictment are Chenhao Chen, 25, Xiaoqing Tu, 24, and Dongjie Lu, 35, all of California; Kuo Zhang, 31, of New Jersey; and Jiacheng Zhang, 25, of Florida.

Jiang and Yang are identified as being among the paid couriers who posed as “agents” or “marshals” to pick up the money and forward it to others in the conspiracy.

Other couriers listed in the indictment are Bao and the two Zhangs. Chen, Lu and Bao are accused of recruiting people to participate in the conspiracy and then supervising them.

The charges cover the period August 2023 until Feb. 22, 2024. Victims are described in the indictment as mainly elderly or wealthy.

The government claims the conspiracy operated this way:

After victims called the number on the “pop-up” on their computer screen that advised they had been hacked, they would be told there was a bank account problem and it was not secure.

Typically several phone calls were exchanged with victims being advised to withdraw the money but not to share what they would be doing with it with anyone.

Victims were told to provide false information when withdrawing the money like it was being used for home remodeling.

They also were told a federal agent would pick up the cash at their home and ensure its safekeeping. They were provided a code word the “federal agent” would provide upon arrival.

Members of the conspiracy used the “Telegram” messenger app to communicate among one other. Couriers were advised to park their vehicles a distance from a victim’s residence so it could not be identified.

Jiang in State College and Bao in New York City would hold the money temporarily until they and Kuo Zang could travel to California where it was delivered to other members of the conspiracy including Chen, Tu and Lu.

If any of the eight are convicted, they will be required to forfeit the proceeds or property derived from the conspiracy.