A federal grand jury in Wichita returned indictments charging two men with impersonating FBI agents to coerce an individual to hand over more than $255,000 in gold on Dec. 23, 2025. The alleged scheme targeted elderly victims, using impostor tactics that warned victims their identities were at risk and directed transfers for purported safekeeping.

A federal grand jury in the District of Kansas returned indictments on Dec. 23, 2025, accusing two men of posing as FBI agents to defraud victims, primarily elderly individuals, in a scheme that included convincing a target to relinquish over $255,000 in gold. According to the Justice Department, the defendants told victims their identities or assets were compromised and instructed them to move funds or valuables to supposedly secure locations, a hallmark of impersonation and impostor scams. Investigators say this case is part of a broader pattern in which conspirators employ official seals, bogus phone numbers, and high-pressure threats to coerce transfers and physical handovers of valuables. The FBI is leading the probe with federal prosecutors in Wichita, and the charges may include conspiracy, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft where applicable. The indictments underscore the risk to seniors from social-engineering tactics that exploit fear and trust in law enforcement, and authorities urge prompt reporting and verification of any unsolicited emergency-style demands for assets.