California man wanted on theft, fraud charges in West Feliciana Parish

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A California man is wanted in connection with an alleged fraud scheme that cost a victim more than $300,000.

The St. Francisville Police Department (SFPD) said an active arrest warrant has been issued for Renqing Chen, 39, of Pittsburg, California.

According to police, the case began on June 10, 2026, when a victim reported being defrauded over several months.

Police said the victim began receiving phone calls in 2025 from someone claiming to be an employee with the Attorney General’s Office. The caller said there was a warrant for the victim’s arrest. They also claimed the Department of the Treasury was going to seize his assets.

SFPD said the victim was instructed to move money out of his accounts by purchasing bitcoin and gold. The victim was then directed to transfer the gold to a courier as part of the scam.

Police estimate the victim’s total financial loss exceeded $300,000.

Chen is wanted on charges including:

Unlawful production, manufacturing, distribution or possession of fraudulent identification documents.

The St. Francisville Police Department is asking anyone with information about Chen’s whereabouts to call 225-635-4177.

Police also remind everyone that legitimate law enforcement agencies will never ask people to pay with bitcoin, gold, silver or other assets to resolve a legal matter. If you think you’ve been targeted by a similar scam, contact your local police.

A California man is wanted in connection with an alleged fraud scheme that cost a victim more than $300,000.

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