BCI Recovers More Than $35,000 in Stolen Bitcoin for Hamilton County Victim

(CINCINNATI) — A special unit within the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation recently returned more than $35,000 to a Cincinnati-area woman who fell victim to a cryptocurrency scam, Attorney General Dave Yost and Delhi Township Police Chief Jeff Braun announced today.

“This case illustrates the elaborate traps that crypto criminals use to scam their victims,” Yost said. “Thankfully, because the victim notified authorities quickly, BCI was able to recover most of the stolen money.”

In August 2024, a 73-year-old Delhi Township woman received a pop-up message on her laptop saying the device had been hacked. The woman called a phone number she believed to be a Microsoft hotline and spoke to the scammer, who instructed her to withdraw money and convert it to Bitcoin to fix her computer. In all, the scammer convinced the woman to send $41,750 in multiple transactions via a Bitcoin ATM.

After realizing this was a scam, the woman notified the Delhi Township Police Department, which requested the assistance of BCI’s Electronic Financial Investigations unit. BCI successfully traced the funds and placed a freeze on additional transfers to the scammer.  

Through search warrants and a court order, BCI ultimately recovered most of the stolen money, returning $35,600 to the victim this week.

“I greatly appreciate BCI’s swift and effective assistance in this case,” Braun said. “Their expertise and collaborative approach in investigating electronic fraud and recovering stolen funds were invaluable to our department, and this partnership strengthens our ability to protect and support our community from scams like these.”

BCI’s Electronic Financial Investigations unit

The Electronic Financial Investigations unit uses a multidisciplinary approach to investigate complex electronic fraud against Ohioans, with an emphasis on cryptocurrency and racketeering crimes and patterns of corrupt activity.

The unit helps bridge the investigative gap between local and federal law enforcement, striving to investigate and, when possible, prosecute offenders to the fullest extent and recover stolen money.

Agents and personnel from various BCI units – Forensic Accounting, Special Investigations, Cyber Crime, Special Victims, Criminal Intelligence, and Public Official Corruption – provide expertise and investigative resources to electronic fraud investigations.

Law enforcement agencies seeking BCI’s assistance should call 855-BCI-OHIO or email Intel@OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov.  

How to detect cryptocurrency scams

Education and prevention are the best deterrents for consumers against cryptocurrency scams.

Targets of fraud are typically older and seemingly vulnerable or confused. They might be prompted to call a phone number only to find themselves being directed to withdraw a large amount of cash (typically $500 to $20,000) and deposit it into a Bitcoin ATM.

Scammers might use a variety of phony reasons to persuade their targets to pay, including:

• To provide bail or remove a warrant for a loved one
• To have a virus removed from a computer
• To get help with a hacked computer or account
• To keep alleged pornographic photos private
• To help an online romantic partner they have never met

In general, consumers are encouraged to be aware of potential scams and be skeptical if asked by unknown individuals to make transactions. Suspected scams should be reported to local law enforcement immediately.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Steve Irwin: 614-728-5417

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