On May 20, the Missouri Office of the Attorney General (OAG) announced that it filed a petition in the Circuit Court of Jasper County against a cryptocurrency ATM operator, alleging the company failed to protect consumers from fraudulent transactions processed through its kiosks and misrepresented the fees charged for transactions in violation of the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act (MMPA). The petition alleges the operator, which maintains more than 140 Bitcoin ATMs in various retail stores across Missouri, processed transactions it knew were coerced or initiated by scammers targeting vulnerable consumers — particularly seniors and veterans. The OAG detailed the experiences of three purported victims who allegedly lost approximately $200,000 through scammer-induced transactions at the company’s kiosks. The OAG alleged that the ATM operator’s records included many obvious warning signs of fraud being perpetrated through its machines. The OAG further alleged that the operator failed to implement adequate fraud-prevention measures despite having access to blockchain analytics software, machine-surveillance cameras, and internal data showing red flags such as multiple users sending funds to the same wallet addresses, according to the attorney general.

On the fee-misrepresentation count, the petition alleges the company consistently displayed only a $2.99 network fee during transactions while burying an additional transaction fee — which purportedly could equal up to 22 percent of the transaction value — in lengthy terms of service, resulting in consumers receiving as little as $75.76 in Bitcoin for every $100 deposited. The petition seeks a declaration that the operator’s practices violate the MMPA, an injunction barring the company from operating in Missouri, civil penalties of $1,000 per violation over the past five years totaling up to $1,826,000, and restitution for affected consumers. The OAG noted that the suit follows a statewide investigation launched in December 2025 into companies operating cryptocurrency kiosks, citing “national concerns” over deceptive fee structures and fraud facilitation.