RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – A California man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for an online scam that defrauded a Chamberlain resident out of $472,000, according to South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley.
36-year-old Chee Yeng Wong pleaded guilty Nov. 18 in Brule County Circuit Court to one count of Aiding, Abetting, or Advising Grand Theft. In addition to prison time, Wong was fined $1,000, and ordered to pay full restitution of $472,000.
The scam took place between January and March 2025. Wong’s listed address is Pasadena, California, though authorities say he is originally from Malaysia.
The case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Chamberlain Police Department, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It was prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office and the Brule County State’s Attorney’s Office.
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