Michigan AG Charges California Man in Gift Card Fraud Scheme

AG: Michigan News

Filed March 20th, 2026

Detected March 21st, 2026

Summary

The Michigan Attorney General announced charges against Sinjuan Song for allegedly conducting a large-scale gift card fraud scheme. Song faces charges including Conducting a Criminal Enterprise and Possession of a Fraudulent Financial Transaction Device, with potential penalties including up to 20 years in prison. The scheme involved altering gift cards distributed at Meijer locations.

View original document View source feed page

What changed

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced charges against Sinjuan Song of Alhambra, California, for allegedly operating a large-scale gift card fraud scheme. Song faces one count of Conducting a Criminal Enterprise (a 20-year felony) and two counts of Possession of a Fraudulent Financial Transaction Device (each a 4-year felony). The alleged scheme involved distributing altered gift cards at Meijer stores across multiple Michigan locations in March 2025, with the intent to steal funds once shoppers loaded balances onto the cards.

This enforcement action highlights the ongoing threat of organized retail crime and gift card fraud. Regulated entities, particularly retailers and financial institutions involved in gift card processing, should review their internal controls and security measures to prevent similar fraudulent activities. While no specific compliance deadline is mentioned for entities, the charges underscore the importance of robust fraud detection and prevention strategies. Song was released on a $500,000 bond and is subject to travel restrictions, with a probable cause conference scheduled for March 31, 2026.

What to do next

Review internal controls for gift card fraud prevention.
Enhance monitoring of gift card activation and redemption patterns.
Collaborate with law enforcement on organized retail crime investigations.

Penalties

Up to 20 years in prison for Conducting a Criminal Enterprise, and up to 4 years in prison for Possession of a Fraudulent Financial Transaction Device.

Source document (simplified)

California Man Charged with Conducting Large-Scale Gift Card Fraud Scheme

March 20, 2026

LANSING – Today, Sinjuan Song, 31, of Alhambra, California, was arraigned before the Honorable Todd Fox of the 51 st District Court in Waterford for allegedly conducting a large-scale gift card fraud scheme, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Song has been charged with one count of Conducting a Criminal Enterprise, a 20-year felony, and two counts of Possession of a Fraudulent Financial Transaction Device, each a 4-year felony.

Song is allegedly connected to an organized retail crime group that distributed altered gift cards at Meijer locations in White Lake, Waterford, Auburn Hills, Southgate, Allen Park, and Taylor in March 2025. The investigation was led by the United States Postal Inspection Service in collaboration with the Attorney General’s FORCE Team and the Michigan State Police.

Gift card fraud scams typically begin with the theft of empty, unsold gift cards from retail stores. The cards are then tampered with to reveal their unique redemption numbers, recorded by alleged scammers, then concealed once again with an adhesive to appear as though they have not been tampered with. The altered gift cards are then returned to their original intended retail point of sale, and the alleged scammers use computer programs to monitor when any card is activated with a balance of funds. As soon as a shopper places a balance on the card, the balance is transferred into another digital account. The gift card, when given as a gift and redeemed, is already depleted.

Attorney General Nessel, who was named the inaugural attorney general strategic partner of the Gift Card Fraud Prevention Alliance, previously released a video alerting Michiganders to the gift card scam, detailing how the scam is believed to operate, and offering tips to avoid becoming a victim.

“Organized crime syndicates are increasingly conducting large-scale retail fraud here in Michigan and across the country, harming not only retailers but consumers looking to purchase gifts for loved ones,” said Attorney General Nessel. “I am proud of the work my FORCE Team does with Michigan State Police and the Postal Inspection Service to stop these illegal schemes and hold those responsible accountable.”

Song was given a $500,000 cash/surety bond. He is prohibited from leaving Oakland County and must surrender his passport among other conditions. Song is next scheduled to appear before the 51 st District Court for a Probable Cause Conference on March 31 at 2:30 p.m.

The FORCE Team was established in January 2023 by the Attorney General to target criminal organizations that steal products from retailers to repackage and sell for a profit. Two assistant attorneys general serve the unit full time, working with special agents within the Department of Attorney General and Michigan State Police detectives to investigate and prosecute these crimes. The FORCE team also partners with the FBI’s Detroit Fraud and Financial Crimes Task Force and the Postal Inspection Service. This is a first-in-the-nation unit, unique in the 50 states as being the first such unit with embedded, dedicated staff from the Department of Attorney General.

The FORCE Team is dedicated to working collaboratively with retailers and local law enforcement agencies to combat organized retail crime. FORCE is an acronym that stands for Focused Organized Retail Crime Enforcement. Recent corporate partners on investigations have included Sam’s Club/Walmart, Meijer, Target, Home Depot, TJ Maxx, Rite-Aid, Lululemon, Ulta Beauty, Amazon, and Lowe’s.

Please note: For all criminal proceedings, a criminal charge is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The Department does not provide booking photos.

MI Newswire Attorney General Press Release Organized Retail Crime (FORCE) Media Contact:

Danny Wimmer

Press Secretary

agpress@michigan.gov

### AG Nessel Seeks to Slash DTE Rate Hike by 85%

### Vincent Smothers Sentenced for Obstruction of Justice Following False Testimony on 2007 Murder, Possessing Contraband Cell Phone

### Wyandotte Man Sentenced 2-20 Years for Embezzling More Than $166,000 From Former Employer

### AG Nessel Challenges Unlawful Rescission of EPA’s Landmark 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding Coalition of States, Counties, and Cities Across the Country Mount Legal Challenge Opposing EPA’s Unlawful Rollback

### Farwell Man Charged with Embezzling over $400,000 from 82-Year-Old

### Former Harper Woods Nursing Assistant Charged with Theft from Elderly Resident

### One Sentenced for Conducting Criminal Enterprise in 2022 Signature Collection Election Fraud Scheme

### Jackson Man Sentenced for Role in Organization Responsible for Vehicle Thefts