Brooklyn man arrested after state police say he extorted $102K from Beaver County victim
A Brooklyn man is being held in the Beaver County Jail after state police say he stole more than $100,000 from a person in Aliquippa.
State police charged Xinhua Chen, 35, with felony counts of theft by deception and extortion.
At an arraignment Saturday morning, he was denied bail as a flight risk, according to court records.
According to state police, they and Aliquippa police conducted a joint investigation into the theft of about $102,000.
Chen was arrested Friday after a controlled meeting with the victim was coordinated to apprehend Chen, state police said.
No information about the victim was provided.
Chen had met with the victim in secret twice before, extorting money from the victim, state police said.
The investigation is ongoing, state police said, as they believe more money may have been extorted.
No attorney was listed for Chen in court records.
Chen’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 25.
Brian C. Rittmeyer, a Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College, has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at brittmeyer@triblive.com.
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