Chairman Scott, Ranking Member Gillibrand to Host Aging Committee Hearing on International Scams, Highlighting China’s Role, and the Implications on America’s Aging Community

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 14, Senator Rick Scott, chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Ranking Member Kirsten Gillibrand will convene a hearing titled “Made in China, Paid by Seniors: Stopping the Surge of International Scams.” Members and expert witnesses will highlight how Chinese nationals and networks are driving large-scale online fraud operations that target Americans and others around the world. This hearing will expose how China enables and profits from the global scam economy, highlight the connection between Chinese digital infrastructure, cybercrime, and human trafficking, and demonstrate the real-world impact these crimes have on American families, particularly the aging community.

Chairman Scott and Ranking Member Gillibrand have been leading the fight against scams targeting America’s seniors. In 2025, they have:

• Led the bipartisan 2025 Fraud Report elevating national awareness of financial exploitation targeting seniors
• Continued the committee’s toll-free Fraud Hotline to expand access to education, prevention tools, and direct support for seniors and families; and
• Supported legislation to combat financial exploitation and increasingly sophisticated scams, including the:
• National Strategy for Combating Scams Act;
• GUARD Act;
• STOP Scammers Act by Chairman Scott; and the
• National Slam the Scam Day resolution.

Witnesses for the hearing will include:

• Nathan Picarsic, Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies

• Kathy Stokes, Senior Director of Fraud Prevention, Fraud Watch Network, AARP

• Jacqueline Burns Koven, Head of Cyber Threat Intelligence, Chainalysis

• Seto Bagdoyan, Director for Audit Services, Government Accountability Office

WHEN: Wednesday, January 14, 2026

3:30 PM ET

WHERE: Hart Senate Office Building, SH-216

WATCH: Live broadcast online HERE.

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