Simi Valley tech worker accused of siphoning $100,000 from senior McDonald's patron
A 26-year-old from Simi Valley allegedly befriended an 89-year-old man at a Thousand Oaks McDonald’s, stole about $100,000 via his phone PIN, and now faces multiple felony charges.
According to Ventura County authorities, 26-year-old William Bao Khoa Ly of Simi Valley cultivated a friendship with an 89-year-old man he first encountered at a Thousand Oaks McDonald’s sometime after June 2024. Ly allegedly visited the senior two to three times weekly, eventually learning the victim’s cell-phone PIN and using it to access both bank and cryptocurrency holdings. Prosecutors allege he executed nearly 91 transactions that transferred about $100,000 into crypto wallets he controls.
The victim’s bank flagged the activity and succeeded in retrieving over $50,000. Ly was charged with felony theft from an elder, grand theft, and unauthorized use of personal identifying information, entered a not-guilty plea on Aug. 18, and was released after posting $50,000 bail. He is scheduled to return to Ventura County Superior Court on Sept. 22. The case underscores ongoing warnings about sophisticated scams targeting older Californians.
Why it matters
Elderly fraud cases highlight vulnerabilities in older adults and the growing risk of crypto-related scams.
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