TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Members of a fraud ring in Taichung City posed as agents for China’s national anti-fraud squad to extort millions from overseas Chinese in Japan, reports said Thursday (Dec. 21).

The chief suspect, named Chang (張), 37, had his detention approved by a court, while nine associates were freed on bail, per CNA. The case came under the attention of the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) when neighbors reported a suspicious number of comings and goings in a building in Taichung City.

An investigation found that Chang had rented an apartment and was using phones and computers to send messages threatening Chinese living in Japan. The fraud ring told the Chinese they would have their passports canceled and be sent back to China if they did not report back to the Public Security Bureau (PSB) within two hours about supposedly banned products having been found in their name by Chinese customs.

A fake PSB agent would take their calls and demand money, the CIB said. A raid on Dec. 14 found NT$14.86 million (US$474,000) in cash and an SUV valued at NT$2.26 million, but the group’s total earnings were estimated at tens of millions over a period of six months.