State police seek owners of $200,000 in seized gold, additional scam victims
Pennsylvania State Police are seeking the owners of approximately $200,000 in gold bars seized during a traffic stop and asking additional victims of a federal officer impersonation scam to come forward.
Troopers with the Milton station recovered the gold Sept. 10 after stopping a silver 2025 Honda Accord on Interstate 80 near mile marker 203, according to a Sept. 17 news release. The car had California registration 9TTS143.
Police said they found gold and an identity-theft affidavit inside the vehicle and took two occupants into custody. A victim later told investigators the Honda resembled a car used to collect gold on Sept. 3.
Investigators believe some of the recovered gold bars came from other victims on Sept. 9 or 10. Before the traffic stop on Sept. 10, the Honda had been in the Coudersport and Smethport area, police said.
The scam involves callers posing as officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security or other federal agencies. Police said callers have used names including Andrew Hall and John Allott.
According to investigators, the callers tell victims that a criminal case is linked to their Social Security number and insist they cooperate and remain silent. Victims are often directed to use the messaging app Telegram and send the message “I am okay” every two hours.
The callers then instruct victims to withdraw money from bank or retirement accounts, buy gold, wrap it and hand it to someone arriving in a vehicle with tinted windows and out-of-state plates, police said.
State police are asking anyone who turned over gold or cash on Sept. 9 or 10, particularly near Coudersport or Smethport, to contact the Troop F Milton Criminal Investigation Unit at 570-524-2662 and reference case PA 2026-1166513.
Investigators also want to hear from anyone else instructed by people claiming to be federal officers to obtain gold or cash and give it to a courier.
