$4.3M Cryptocurrency Heist: Arizona Woman Duped by Elaborate Law Enforcement Impersonators

A 35-year-old woman in Arizona fell victim to an intricate cryptocurrency scam that netted her $4.3 million loss, according to law enforcement.

The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office says the suspects posed as FBI agents and NYPD officers, using fake phone numbers and emails to target the woman.

The scammers claimed someone had tried buying guns in her name using a New York credit card, and that she was being implicated in a federal money-laundering investigation.

To further intimidate her, they told her she was under digital surveillance and threatened severe repercussions if she spoke to anyone.

The suspects then sent fabricated paper documents mirroring official FBI records, hosted online Microsoft Teams meetings with fake officials who hid their faces behind turned-off cameras, and demanded she transfer funds through a Bitcoin application.