KINGMAN – An alleged scam artist was arrested early Friday afternoon when authorities boxed in the suspect vehicle in the parking lot of the frequently very busy Starbucks store on Kino Avenue and Stockton Hill Road. The law enforcement operation shut down the drive-thru window that sometimes generates more than a dozen vehicles of customer traffic that snakes all the back onto Kino.
The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) said investigation began in May when the victim reported befriending the alleged perpetrator on social media the previous fall, convincing him to invest in cryptocurrencies.
“The victim stated that he had given this person cash money on three different occasions, totaling $113,000,” said MCSO spokesperson Anita Mortensen. “The person had requested an additional $100,000 in cash but had later changed it to $65,000.”
Mortensen said Detectives assumed the identity of the victim and arranged for the meeting where the “courier” arrived and was taken into custody at the business in the 3700 block of Stockton Hill Road. Jay Jin Xia, 40, Hacienda Heights, California was jailed for fraud and additional charge are pending ongoing investigation.
