MINNEAPOLIS — Editor's note: The video above first aired on KARE 11 in August 2022.
Prosecutors say the Minneapolis man accused of running an elaborate iPhone theft ring will now avoid spending time in prison, but faces possible deportation to China.
KARE 11's Lou Raguse confirmed the news Monday, reporting Zhongshuang Su, aka "Brandon Su," pleaded guilty to four counts of receiving stolen property for his role in the operation. As part of the deal, prosecutors say Su will no longer face prison time, but he could be deported to China. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Nov. 9.
Authorities charged 12 individuals in connection with the theft ring, which prosecutors allege involved a year-long scheme in which the group would target individuals, usually intoxicated, in downtown Minneapolis. The original complaint claimed the suspects would ask people for their cell phones to add themselves to their social media accounts, but instead, would take off with full access to information connected to the victim's financial apps like Venmo, Zelle and Coinbase.
One of the victims, the son of a retired metro police chief, was targeted outside a downtown bar and knocked unconscious after the alleged thieves made off with his phone during the height of the group's alleged activity in the summer of 2022. According to authorities, the group would steal the phones, transfer the victim's funds and then steal and sell the iPhones.
The criminal complaint alleges the suspects would give the stolen phones to Su, who had been nicknamed "the iPhone man."
Prosecutors alleged the group pulled off dozens of heists, which resulted in over hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses.
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