Cryptocurrency Scammers Bilk Mokena Victim Out Of $150K: Police

MOKENA, IL — Mokena police and senior fraud investigators were able to recover most of the stolen money after officials say a Mokena resident was duped out of more than $150,000 in a cryptocurrency scam.

In September, police said they took a report from a Mokena resident regarding an online scam. The resident said they responded to an "online job ad presented as a commission-based, remote work opportunity aimed at optimizing app developers."

According to police, the victim was instructed to set up a cryptocurrency exchange account, and over the next few months, transferred money across the account as directed by the scammers.

During a lengthy investigation, police say a Mokena detective attempted to trace the stolen funds and find a suspect. The investigation revealed that some of the funds were being held in a cryptocurrency wallet controlled by a suspect with a Nigerian passport, using an IP address out of Cambodia, police said.

"Our Detective worked with Senior Fraud Investigators from the financial institution hosting the cryptocurrency wallet and located just over $101,000," Mokena police said in a news release.

Working with the Financial Crimes Division of the Will County State's Attorney's Office, police say the funds were frozen, seized and returned to the victim.

Mokena Police Chief Brian Benton thanked Det. Darin McVicker, "who worked vigorously to locate the lost money and to seek out those responsible for committing this fraud." He also thanked State's Attorney Jim Glasgow and assistant states attorneys Mike Casson and Dant Foulk, adding, "While it is unfortunate that we were unable to arrest those responsible for committing these crimes, we are glad we were to have been able to return a significant amount of the lost money."