Two Men Accused of Trying to Steal $30,000 from Binghamton Woman

A Binghamton woman withdrew $30,000 in cash from a city bank branch to turn over to a would-be thief.

Police were alerted by a bank representative who was concerned the customer was being targeted in a scam.

Officers were sent to the woman's West Side home to investigate the matter. Police said they quickly determined that she was about to be "a victim of an elder scam, involving financial exploitation, under fraudulent circumstances."

A sting operation was set up. A man showed up at the woman's residence believing he was about to pocket thousands of dollars from her.

The suspect fled after he was confronted by police officers. He was taken into custody after a brief foot pursuit.

Another man - who was in a parked getaway car nearby - also was taken into custody.

Authorities said 36-year-old Zhilei Wu and 51-year-old Tao Zeng - both of Flushing, Queens - were arrested. Both have been charged with felony grand larceny and misdemeanor conspiracy.

Binghamton police were assisted by the Vestal police department in the investigation.

City police praised Citizens Bank officials "for their swift action in identifying a potential victim of a scam and for quickly notifying law enforcement."

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com or call (607) 545-2250. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.