Alhambra Man Arrested with Over 9,000 Fraudulent Gift Cards Worth $2.1 Million

A Coachella Valley gift card fraud investigation ended in a major arrest Monday when deputies identified and took a suspect into custody carrying more than $2.1 million in fake gift cards.

Deputies from the Palm Desert Sheriff's Station Business District Team launched the investigation on March 16 after receiving a report of gift card fraud at a local business. Investigators say they identified the suspect as Ruhai Li, 36, of Alhambra, and located him in the 67000 block of East Palm Canyon Drive in Cathedral City, where he was taken into custody without incident.

After obtaining a search warrant for Li's vehicle, deputies recovered over 9,000 fraudulent gift cards valued at more than $2.1 million. Li was booked into the John Benoit Detention Center on felony charges of forging access cards. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance this morning at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.

Investigators say the case is ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Deputy Botello at the Palm Desert Sheriff's Station by calling (760) 836-1600.