Mokena resident recovers more than $100,000 lost to cryptocurrency scam

A Mokena resident won back more than $100,000 that was lost in an overseas cryptocurrency scam thanks to a Mokena police detective and Will County prosecutors.

The investigation of the scam began Sept. 11, 2024, when a Mokena resident reported losing more than $150,000 from an online scam involving cryptocurrency, according to a statement from the Mokena Police Department.

“The victim advised that in July of 2024, they responded to an online job ad presented as a commission-based, remote work opportunity aimed at optimizing app developers,” police said.

The victim was directed to set up a cryptocurrency exchange account and transferred funds “across the accounts as directed” by fraudsters for the next few months, police said.

The investigation revealed a “portion of the funds” were held on a cryptocurrency wallet controlled by a person with a Nigerian passport and using an internet protocol address out of Cambodia, police said.

The financial institution hosting the cryptocurrency wallet had more than $101,000, police said.

Police investigators and prosecutors worked to freeze and seize the funds so they could be returned to the victim, police said.

Mokena Police Chief Brian Benton thanked the work of Mokena Police Detective Darin McVicker, who worked “vigorously to locate the lost money and to seek out those responsible for committing this fraud.”

Benton also thanked Assistant State’s Attorneys Mike Casson and Dant Faulk for their assistance in the investigation.

“While it is unfortunate that we were unable to arrest those responsible for committing these crimes, we are glad we were able to return a significant amount of the lost money,” Benton said.