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CONCORD, New Hampshire (WMUR) — A man accused of participating in a multimillion-dollar gift card scam will likely remain in jail after a judge refused to reduce his $500,000 bail.
The judge also set an expedited trial date for Jinbin Ren, but said the case was expected to ultimately be taken over by the federal government.
Ren is said to have operated a warehouse in Salem where police said they found Apple products worth around $6 million waiting to be shipped abroad.
Prosecutors alleged that Ren was part of a ring that stole gift cards from stores and wrote down the card number and PIN, then returned the cards looking like they were new.
Once funds are deposited onto the cards, the money is stolen and used to purchase Apple products, prosecutors said.
The defense asked for bail to be reduced to $25,000 cash, pointing out that Ren has family ties in Massachusetts, including a wife and children. But prosecutors said Ren originally fled to China and, although he has returned, he remains a flight risk.
The defense questioned Ren’s involvement in the fraud and the evidence against him, but prosecutors said a search of his phone made his involvement clear.
The judge left bail at $500,000, siding with the prosecution and saying it was clear that Ren knew about the operation.
Jury selection is scheduled for December 3, assuming the case remains in the high court.
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