PIKE COUNTY, Ill. — A 27-year-old Los Angeles man, Akhmet Kuzgov, has been arrested in connection with a sophisticated Apple Pay scam that defrauded an elderly Pike County resident of $40,000.
According to the Pike County Sheriff’s Office, the victim, a man in his 70s living near Barry, Illinois, reported receiving a message on August 12 about a suspicious Apple Pay transaction. He was soon contacted by someone claiming his Social Security number had been compromised and that a federal officer was en route to collect payment to resolve the issue.
Fearing legal repercussions, the victim complied and handed over $40,000 in cash to Kuzgov, who arrived at his home within hours of the call. After the transaction, the man contacted local law enforcement.
Deputy Steve Lowry launched an investigation and maintained communication with the suspect through the victim’s phone. Two days later, on August 14, Kuzgov returned to demand another $40,000 — but this time, he was arrested on the spot.
Kuzgov was booked into the Pike County Jail and charged with theft over $10,000. Additional charges may follow as the investigation progresses. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has since issued a federal arrest warrant for Kuzgov, and the FBI is now involved in the case.
Authorities believe this is part of a broader international scam network. A similar scam attempt was reported in Pittsfield days earlier, though that attempt was thwarted before any money changed hands.
“Scammers are getting bolder,” said Chief Deputy Zack Orr. “This new trend of scammers arriving at victims’ homes is extremely dangerous. If anyone receives a suspicious call or message, please verify with law enforcement before taking any action.”
Due to Illinois’ SAFE-T Act, theft over $10,000 is not automatically a detainable offense unless specific statutory conditions are met. The Pike County State’s Attorney will argue that those conditions apply during Kuzgov’s detention hearing scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday at the Pike County Courthouse.
Deputy Lowry was praised for his swift and thorough work on the case, which may help uncover a larger fraud network targeting vulnerable individuals across the country.
