Mohave County Sheriffs Office Apprehends Suspect in Kingman Cryptocurrency Fraud Scheme – The Buzz -The buzz in Bullhead City – Lake Havasu City – Kingman – Arizona – California – Nevada

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

On May 21, 2026, Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Deputies took a report of fraud. The victim, who resided in the Kingman area, had befriended an individual on social media approximately six months prior. During their conversations, the individual discussed investing the victim’s money into cryptocurrencies. The victim stated that he had provided cash on three different occasions, totaling $113,000.00.

The victim was supplied with a fake phone application that displayed an investment and the interest the money was supposedly earning. Following this, the victim would withdraw cash, photograph it, and send the photograph to the individual. In response, a photograph of a one-dollar bill was sent to the victim and later used to identify the “courier” responsible for picking up the cash. The arrangement entailed a meeting at a local business in the 3700 block of N. Stockton Hill Rd., where the “courier” would confirm the transaction by showing the one-dollar bill before receiving the cash.

Once the victim realized that he had been defrauded, he contacted the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office. Despite this, the individual continued communication and requested an additional sum—initially $100,000.00 in cash, later revised to $65,000.00. Detectives assumed the victim’s identity and coordinated the transaction. When the individual requested a photograph of the initially mentioned $100,000.00 cash, detectives, with the assistance of a local bank, provided the photograph. After the amount was changed, another photograph was sent and a transfer of the money to the “courier” was arranged. The individual then sent a photograph of a one-dollar bill, which was to be provided to the victim as confirmation of the transaction.

On Friday, June 12, Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Detectives, with assistance from the Kingman Police Department Street Crimes Unit, executed an operation on the 3700 block of N. Stockton Hill Rd. At approximately 12:12 p.m., the “courier” arrived at the location and was taken into custody without incident. The individual was identified as Jay Jin Xia, 40, of Hacienda Heights, California, an American citizen. Authorities recovered evidence on his person, including the phone used to communicate and the one-dollar bill linking him to the investigation. Xia was transported to the Mohave County Adult Detention Facility where he was booked for fraud. Additional charges are pending further investigation into this incident.

The investigation is ongoing.