A Wisconsin jury-duty impersonation scam that began with one victim has expanded into a nationwide fraud investigation involving hundreds of potential victims and five defendants now facing felony cases in Waukesha County.
Virginia C. Rios of Des Moines, Iowa, was arrested September 16 by Des Moines police. KCRG, citing WISN’s reporting on the Delafield investigation, said Rios was expected to be extradited to Wisconsin.
Delafield police say investigators have identified at least 315 potential victims and estimate losses connected to the broader operation at approximately $500,000.
Wisconsin court records identify the other defendants as Derrick M. Posey, Kimberly R. Jones, Katrinia Y. Wyche and Allissa N. Walls. Posey is also accused of impersonating a peace officer during the alleged scheme.
A Threat of Arrest Led to a $15,000 Cryptocurrency Payment
KCRG, citing WISN’s reporting on the Delafield investigation, said the Wisconsin victim was contacted in 2024 by someone claiming to be a deputy. The caller told him he had failed to appear for jury duty and that a warrant had been issued for his arrest.
The caller instructed him to make payments through cryptocurrency machines. Believing the threat was legitimate, the man sent $15,000 before discovering that he had been deceived and reporting the loss.
Delafield police continued investigating beyond that initial complaint, eventually connecting the alleged operation to hundreds of potential victims across the country.
Five Wisconsin Cases Are Tied to the Same Investigation
Wisconsin Circuit Court records show that separate felony cases were filed August 19 against all five defendants. Each case is cross-referenced with the other four and carries the same Waukesha County District Attorney case number, 2025WK000529.
Rios’ case, 2026CF001204, lists two Class G felony charges. One alleges conspiracy to commit money laundering involving proceeds between $10,000 and $100,000. The other alleges conspiracy to commit theft by false representation involving more than $10,000 but no more than $100,000.
Rios’ Wisconsin docket shows that an arrest warrant was issued August 20. KCRG later reported that Polk County Jail records showed Des Moines police arrested her September 16 and that she was expected to be extradited to Wisconsin.
Wisconsin court records also show arrest warrants were issued for the other four defendants.
Posey Is Accused of Impersonating a Peace Officer
Derrick Posey’s case, 2026CF001203, contains three felony charges.
The docket lists conspiracy to commit money laundering involving between $10,000 and $100,000 in alleged proceeds, theft by false representation involving more than $10,000 but no more than $100,000, and impersonating a peace officer to aid in the commission of a crime.
KCRG reported that Posey is a federal inmate in South Carolina and is accused in the Delafield investigation of posing as a deputy during fraudulent calls.
The Waukesha court issued a $100,000 arrest warrant for Posey on August 20.
Three Other Defendants Face Money-Laundering Conspiracy Charges
The remaining three defendants each have one Class G felony charge alleging conspiracy to commit money laundering involving proceeds between $10,000 and $100,000.
Kimberly R. Jones is listed in case 2026CF001207. Katrinia Y. Wyche is charged in case 2026CF001205, while Allissa N. Walls is charged in case 2026CF001206.
The court issued $75,000 arrest warrants for Jones, Wyche and Walls. Their cases, like those of Rios and Posey, were filed August 19.
The charges against all five defendants remain pending. They are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Courts Warn That Missed Jury Duty Does Not Require Cryptocurrency Payments
Waukesha County warns that scammers impersonate court or law enforcement personnel and tell residents they must pay a fine for missing jury service to avoid jail. The county says its courts and law enforcement agencies will not call and demand payment for missed jury service.
The Iowa Judicial Branch documented a similar scam in June in which a caller claimed someone had missed jury service and instructed the target to convert cash into bitcoin to avoid further consequences. The court system says law enforcement officers do not collect court fines and fees.