GILLETTE, Wyo. — A Gillette resident is out $168,000 after recently falling victim to a cryptocurrency scam, Gillette Police Captain Kelly Alger said Monday. 

Officers responded to Sutherland Drive around 12:29 p.m. Aug. 23 at the request of a 56-year-old man who reported unknown suspects had locked him out of his account containing thousands of dollars in Bitcoin, Alger said. 

According to the report, the man purchased Bitcoin through Kraken and made multiple transfers to World ID using Trust Wallet over approximately four months. 

“At one point World ID sent messages to the [56-year-old man] saying he needed to pay $78,000 in taxes owed to the IRS,” Alger said. “This money was paid by [him].”

The suspects kept sending messages to the 56-year-old man, requesting more money. When he refused to pay $5,000 to have the money released, the suspects took over his account and blocked his access to the remaining $90,000 in the account. 

According to Alger, GPD detectives have taken over the case and have launched an investigation.