Photo: CBS 12
Law enforcement from across the state have busted an alleged fraud ring involving phony federal agents.
It started when a Bradenton man lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in Bitcoin, gift cards and cash.
Manatee County Sheriff's detectives wound up arresting Guizhi Chen and Linxian Chen.
Evidence on their phones lead investigators to a victim in Stuart, who said he was contacted by a man claiming to be a federal agent named "Chris Michael," and saying that the victim's computer had been hacked and child porn was found on it. He told the victim that there would be legal consequences if money wasn't sent.
Officials from Manatee and Martin Counties, along with state authorities, worked together to stage a 40-thousand dollar cash pickup. That resulted in the arrest of 22-year-old Yican Wu of Coral Springs.