FNN Article Update © Monday, September 21, 2026.
MILTON, PA – (UPDATE) Pennsylvania State Police based in Milton have identified the victim/owner of the nearly $200,000 in gold bars that were seized by Troopers after they conducted a traffic stop along Interstate 80 on Thursday, September 10, 2026.
According to an update released by Pennsylvania State Police on Monday evening, September 21, 2026, they were able to identify a 74-year-old female of Rixford, PA as a potential victim/owner of the seized gold. Police made contact with the victim who confirmed she had been scammed.
The victim related initial contact was made by the froud organization ove a pop-up on her home computer in July 2026. The victim informed Pennsylvania State Police that for the next few months she was made to believe her identity and bank accounts had been compromised. The female victim was instructed to remove her life savings from her accounts and purchase gold.. The victim had met with the Honda and the two suspects on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at the bakery in Rixford, PA. The victim then handed over a package containing approximately $200,000 (43 ounces) of gold to the suspects. The female victim said that prior to this incident she had already provided the fraud organization with another $59,000 in cash in two separate transactions.
Pennsylvania State Police continue looking for other potentially related victims to this fraud organization. Two suspected but currently unknown victims are listed below:
- One victim from the Port Royal, PA area that may have conducted a meet with the same vehicle and suspects on 08/28/26.
- One victim from the Myerstown, PA area that may have conducted a meet with the same vehicle and suspects on 09/09/26.
If you turned over gold or cash on September 9 or 10, 2026, especially near Coudersport or Smethport, or, call Troop F Milton Criminal Investigation Unit at 570-524-2662. Reference PA 2026-1166513.
This investigation came to light after a traffic stop on a silver 2025 Honda Accord with California registration 9TTS143 along I-80 near mile marker 203 on September 10, 2026.
Gold bars and an identity theft affidavit were found inside the vehicle by police. The two occupants of the car were taken into custody and the gold bars are being held as evidence.
Police noted that the gold may be connected to a scam in which callers posing as ICE, DHS, or other federal officers had convinced victims to withdraw money, purchase gold and hand it over to a courier. The callers/scammers have used names such as Andrew Hall or John Allott. They tell the victim a criminal case is tied to their Social Security number. They claim that the victim must stay silent and cooperate, and often they are told to open Telegram and text, “I am Okay” every two hours. The victim is then told to pull bank or retirement funds, buy gold, wrap it, and give it to a person in a tinted out-of-state car.
One victim reported to police that the Honda looked like the car that was used to pick up gold on Wednesday, September 3, 2026.
Investigators believe that some of the gold bars were taken from other victims on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, or Thursday, September 10, 2026. Earlier on September 10th, prior to the vehicle being stopped, the Honda was in the Coudersport and Smethport areas.
