Queens, NY- Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz has announced that Kong Gao has been charged with fraudulent making of an electronic access device and criminal possession of forgery devices. This is in relation to a large-scale theft of network cable streaming and Wi-Fi services in Flushing and Whitestone.
Gao, aged 35, allegedly manufactured approximately 200 modem devices embedded with malware that mimics legitimate services like Spectrum, operated by Charter Communications. On Friday, Gao was arraigned, and he faces a potential maximum sentence of seven years if convicted of the top count. Judge Marty Lentz has ordered Gao to return to court on January 16, 2025.
In April, Charter Communications launched an investigation into widespread unauthorized use of their services, identifying about 6,000 cloned accounts. The investigation, assisted by a private investigative firm, linked Gao to advertisements offering fraudulent Wi-Fi services and modem installations. Authorities executed a search warrant at Gao’s residence on November 14.
The search at Gao’s Whitestone residence uncovered 200 modems intended for sale, along with tools and malware programs used to infiltrate Charter’s services.