VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A 42-year-old Georgia woman faces fraud charges after she used a Bitcoin scam to steal $17,000 from a Daytona Beach man, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Mike Chitwood said that Christina Rimes from Morven, Georgia, was “part of a Georgia State Prison gang” working out of Wheeler Correctional Facility that would make phone calls around the U.S. telling victims that they are law enforcement and there is a warrant out for their arrest.
According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, the inmates would use people who are not incarcerated to commit the fraud and then have them deposit the money into prison commissary accounts.
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
Chitwood said that Rimes contacted the Daytona Beach man on Jan. 28 and told him that “based on the charges, that other charges will be coming down, so don’t deposit $8,000, deposit $17,000 into the account.”
[Watch the video below to see the moment Sheriff Mike Chitwood welcomes the suspect to Volusia County]
According to deputies, Rimes has a tattoo on her chest of her boyfriend, John Thornton, who is currently incarcerated in the Georgia State Prison. She is accused of transferring the money into Thornton’s account.
Chitwood posted video on social media as Grimes was brought to Volusia County, as he has done in the past with other out-of-towners, saying “Good luck and welcome to Florida.”
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
Deputies said they worked closely with Georgia and federal authorities during the investigation.
“You come after one of my residents, we’re coming after you,” Chitwood said.