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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, February 19, 2009

Court papers detail more allegations against accused con man Wong

Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Accused con man Winfred Wong, in a cell phone photo taken by Maria Ching, one of more than a dozen people allegedly swindled by Wong.

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Accused con man Winfred H. Wong is actually 89 years old and now is suspected of swindling a dozen individuals here out of at least $3.5 million, according to new information detailed in federal court this morning.

A criminal complaint filed against Wong earlier this week and state law suits filed earlier put his age at 80 years old and alleged that he had stolen around $1 million from three individuals here.

But Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Olson said in court this morning that an ongoing investigation shows Wong is nearly 90 years old and some $3.5 million flowed through bank accounts he maintained here since 2005.

Secret Service agents who recently searched Wong's Kahala Regency condominium discovered a Taiwanese passport, Olson said. And Wong has used two different Social Security numbers, including one that belonged to "a person who is deceased," she said.

Over the objections of defense attorney Donna Gray, U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry Kurren ordered Wong held without bail.

Gray argued that accused New York Ponzi scheme operator Bernard Madoff, who allegedly stole in excess of a billion dollars, was granted bail in the criminal case now pending against him.

But Olson called Wong a serious flight risk and asked that the defendant be held without bail.

Kurren granted the motion, observing that no one was willing to act as a third party custodian of Wong if he is released pending trial.