By SUZANNE DOWNING
July 14, 2026 – Alaskans who lost money in cryptocurrency scams involving Bitcoin Depot kiosks may have one last opportunity to recover some of their losses, as the company has entered bankruptcy and a court-imposed deadline to file claims is just days away.
The Alaska Department of Law announced that Bitcoin Depot Operating LLC, which formerly operated cryptocurrency kiosks in Alaska and nationwide, has filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.
The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit is encouraging Alaskans who were victimized through scams involving the kiosks to determine whether they are eligible to participate in the bankruptcy claims process before the July 21, 2026 deadline.
State Sen. Cathy Tilton of Wasilla said the announcement highlights the need for stronger consumer protections that she has been advocating for on behalf of thousands of Alaskans who have been scammed, many of them being senior citizens.
“As the sponsor of SB 249, I’m glad to see the Attorney General’s Office alerting Alaskans to this Bitcoin Depot bankruptcy opportunity for recovery. Over 3,200 Alaskans filed complaints with the FBI’s IC3 last year, losing nearly $40 million, many through these exact kinds of cryptocurrency kiosk scams. My legislation strengthens protections with licensing, verification, and safeguards so we can prevent these devastating losses from happening and keep our seniors, veterans, and families secure.”
Sen. Cathy Tilton: Alaska needs SB 249 to protect our seniors from crypto-kiosk scams
Acting Attorney General Cori Mills said cryptocurrency offers legitimate financial opportunities but has also become a favored tool for scammers.
“Cryptocurrency is an emerging financial tool that opens up possibilities for Alaskan consumers, but as with all advancements, there are perils too—Bitcoin Depot is unfortunately one of them,” Mills said. “Their kiosks were used to take advantage of vulnerable Alaskans, and now those Alaskans may be able to get some of their money back.”
Bitcoin Depot kiosks allowed customers to purchase cryptocurrency using cash. Unlike traditional bank ATMs, the machines transmitted cryptocurrency to a digital wallet or another address designated by the customer.
According to the Department of Law, scammers frequently instructed victims to use these kiosks after impersonating government agencies, law enforcement officers, businesses, or other trusted organizations. Victims were often pressured into depositing cash into a kiosk and transferring cryptocurrency to wallets controlled by the scammers, making the transactions difficult or impossible to reverse.
The Department of Law cautioned Alaskans that government agencies do not demand payment through cryptocurrency kiosks and urged residents to independently verify any claims before sending money.
The bankruptcy filing may provide some victims with an opportunity to recover a portion of their losses. However, the deadline to submit a claim is July 21.
Alaskans who believe they may qualify can review the claims process through the court-appointed restructuring administrator at Bitcoin Depot bankruptcy claims website. The Department of Law advises consumers who are uncomfortable clicking links received by email to manually enter the website address into their browser instead.
Consumers may also contact the bankruptcy restructuring hotline at (884) 339-4117 or email BitcoinDepotInfo@ra.kroll.com for additional information.
The Department of Law emphasized that filing a claim is voluntary and warned consumers not to provide personal or financial information to anyone offering assistance unless they have independently verified the person’s identity.
Anyone with questions about cryptocurrency kiosk scams may contact the Alaska Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit at 907-269-5200.
One thought on “Bitcoin Depot scam victims in Alaska have one last chance to recover losses”
The slow way is the sure way to financial prosperity just as the fable about the tortoise 🐢 and the hare 🐇
Too quick to financial prosperity you are bound to lose everything because of the lack of safe guards or fall for scams