A suspect in an Apple Pay scam that targets local residents is apprehended by the Pike County Sheriff’s Department
Pike County On August 12, a resident of rural Barry, who was over 70, reported to the Pike County Sheriff’s Department that she had been the victim of a complex financial scam.
The victim claimed to have received a notification about a payment made using his Apple Pay account. Following his response, he received a call from someone who said his Social Security information had been stolen. The con artist also claimed that a federal law enforcement official was on his way to the victim’s home and that he needed to provide the officer forty thousand dollars in cash.
The victim complied out of fear of legal action. A male individual showed up at the victim’s house within hours, and the victim gave him the money that was required. The victim got in touch with the Pike County Sheriff’s Department following the transaction.
Deputy Steve Lowry of Pike County started an investigation right away and kept an eye on the victim and the scammer’s ongoing phone conversations. Later, the suspect asked for an extra forty thousand dollars in cash.
At at 1:50 p.m. on August 14, 2025, officers from the Pike County Sheriff’s Department found and detained 27-year-old Akhmet Kuzgov of Los Angeles, California, at the victim’s home. Kuzgov was accused of stealing Transported and booked into the Pike County Jail for more than $10,000.
Further charges could be brought, and the investigation is still ongoing. Regarding the criminal case, the Pike County Sheriff’s Department has been in touch with the FBI. The US Department of Homeland Security issued a federal warrant for Kuzgov’s arrest later that night.
Thankfully, the bank contacted a family member who contacted law enforcement before any money was transferred after the City of Pittsfield got a similar complaint yesterday.
According to Chief Deputy Zack Orr, scammers are become more sophisticated in their efforts to scare and deceive the public. Before acting, we encourage everyone to confirm information with local law enforcement and to use caution when receiving unsolicited calls or messages. Legitimate law enforcement will get in touch with you in person rather than via spam calls or texts if you are in legal jeopardy.
Small villages like ours are being targeted by this more recent fraud, which seems to be becoming much riskier now that con artists are visiting the victims’ homes. We think this is a global criminal organization that will persist for a while. Stay vigilant at all times.
Deputy Steve Lowry received praise from Chief Deputy Orr for his hard work, perseverance, and dedication to seeking justice in this case.
Unless specific statutory requirements are fulfilled, theft exceeding $10,000 in Illinois is not a detainable violation under the SAFE-T Act. The detention hearing for Kuzgov is set for today at 1:00 pm at the Pike County Courthouse, where the Pike County States Attorney will be arguing on behalf of the State in the hopes that those statutory criteria are in fact met.
In Illinois, law enforcement agencies are prohibited from engaging in immigration enforcement activities, such as housing immigration detainees in Illinois detention facilities, by the Way Forward Act. The statute does not, however, prohibit private individuals from getting in touch with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The public can report suspicious activity online at https://www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form or by calling (866) DHS-2ICE.
The Pike County Sheriff’s Department encourages anybody with information about this event or similar frauds to call (217) 285-5011.
