The Somali fraud scandal has captured Americans’ imaginations. The story is almost unbelievable: Somalis in Minnesota allegedly set up fraudulent housing services, meal programs, and autism-therapy offerings, which formed part of a “web” that stole “billions of dollars in taxpayer money.” Some fraudulently obtained funds, according to federal law enforcement sources, ended up in the hands of Al-Shabaab terrorists.

Meantime, on the West Coast, another pattern of fraud has taken root: foreign criminals have developed sophisticated schemes to cheat and steal from unsuspecting Americans. I spoke with a veteran blue-city police detective, who has spent two decades investigating serious crimes, in order to learn more about how these groups operate and what might be done to stop them.

We granted the source anonymity so he could speak candidly about the fraud and the politicians who have enabled it. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Christopher Rufo: We’ve seen the Somali fraud schemes in Minnesota, but in the West Coast, there seems to be another pattern: foreign fraud rings ripping off Americans. What are the most common schemes you’re seeing here?

Detective: The two most common I investigate are credit-card fraud and elder fraud. I noticed that in cases involving a high dollar amount—$1,000 or more—and that target a stranger, it’s almost always perpetrated by foreigners.

A typical organized-crime credit-card crew would be from Romania. They will come to the United States by sneaking over the Mexican border and go up and down the I-5 corridor. They steal credit cards out of gym lockers at fitness clubs.

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