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Kennewick officials weigh ordinance to remove Bitcoin kiosks after spike in scams targeting older residents
Summary
City police and the city attorney told the Kennewick City Council workshop that on‑site cryptocurrency kiosks have been used in frauds that frequently hit older residents; staff outlined a proposed ordinance that would give kiosk operators 60 days' notice if the council moves to eliminate such machines within city limits.
Sergeant Ramey Reese, a detective in Kennewick's Criminal Investigations unit, told the City Council workshop that on‑site cryptocurrency kiosks (often called Bitcoin ATMs or kiosks) are being used in cons that have produced large, sometimes unrecoverable losses for local victims. "When you take your money down there under the circumstance that I just outlined...we start to trace the locations where you sent it," Reese said, adding that once funds are sent they are often mixed or "tumbled" and the city cannot reliably recover them.
Why it matters: Reese said many victims are older adults who lose savings or retirement funds to these schemes. He described kiosk fees in the 15–25% range, contrasted with online transfers that typically charge far less, and…
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