St. Croix County backs state bills to regulate crypto ATMs after prosecutors cite fraud

The St. Croix County Board voted (14–2) to approve a resolution supporting 2025 Assembly Bill 384 and 2025 Senate Bill 386 that would regulate virtual-currency kiosks (crypto ATMs), adding language urging the legislature to include enforceable consequences for operators who fail to comply.

The district attorney (unnamed) told the board the county is seeing an increasing number of frauds tied to crypto ATMs. He described typical scams where victims receive calls claiming they have warrants and are instructed to deposit cash into crypto kiosks; he cited recent local incidents of roughly $5,000–$6,000 per victim and said law enforcement in one case executed a warrant to seize a machine and recovered cash.

Supporters said the kiosks often charge steep fees and make it easier for fraudsters to convert cash into cryptocurrency that then disappears; an amendment that would encourage penalties for noncompliant operators passed earlier in the meeting 14–2. Opponents warned that blockchain technology can be difficult to regulate and questioned whether penalties would be enforceable or whether operators are complicit in scams.

Board members who pressed the DA sought local case counts and dollar-loss estimates; the DA said his office lacks a specific category to run data reports but estimated "a handful" per prosecutor per year, and noted anecdotally that losses often come in $5,000 increments. The resolution endorses the state bills and the board’s amendment asking legislators to consider enforcement mechanisms and operator responsibilities.

The resolution will be transmitted to state lawmakers as the county’s formal support for the bills and the amendment adopted by the board.