KITTANNING, PA — A western Pennsylvania man was scammed out of about $42,700 after someone claimed to be professional wrestler Rhea Ripley, according to Pennsylvania State Police. Investigators said the money was taken in March from the 64-year-old man from North Buffalo Township.
State police in Kittanning released the details in a news release. They said the case involves a suspected impersonation scam that cost the victim tens of thousands of dollars.
How the alleged impersonation scam unfolded
Police said the victim believed he was dealing with Ripley, a professional wrestler, when the scam happened this spring. The person behind the scheme used that identity to deceive him and gain access to the money.
The release did not explain exactly how the contact began or what messages were exchanged. It also did not say how the funds were transferred, only that the loss totaled roughly $42,700.
Impersonation scams often rely on trust, urgency, or a sense of personal connection. In this case, police have not released any additional details about the methods used.
Pennsylvania State Police identify the victim as a 64-year-old from North Buffalo Township
The victim was identified only by age and hometown. Pennsylvania State Police said he lives in North Buffalo Township, a community in western Pennsylvania.
Authorities did not say why the man was targeted or whether the scam involved social media, text messages, email, or another platform. The release also did not list any injuries or threats beyond the financial loss.
The amount taken, roughly $42,700, places the case among the more expensive kinds of fraud reported by law enforcement, even though the public details remain limited.
Police have not said whether a suspect has been identified
Kittanning state police said it is not clear whether the person responsible has been identified. That leaves the investigation open as officers continue to review the case.
At the same time, police said the victim has refused to cooperate with the investigation. That refusal may make it harder for investigators to determine who was behind the impersonation or how the money moved.
State police did not announce any charges, arrests, or recovery of the stolen funds. They also did not give a timeline for when the investigation might be finished.
Rhea Ripley’s name used in a growing fraud pattern
The case fits a familiar pattern in online and phone fraud, where scammers pretend to be well-known figures to build credibility with victims. Police said the false identity used here was Rhea Ripley, a professional wrestler with a public profile that could be exploited in such a scheme.
Law enforcement agencies often warn that impersonation scams can be difficult to spot because they borrow the familiarity of a celebrity or public figure. The release from Pennsylvania State Police did not say whether this case began with a romantic angle, a money request, or another type of pitch.
What state police are saying as the investigation continues
For now, the confirmed facts are limited to the victim, the amount lost, the month of the scam, and the fake identity used. State police in Kittanning say the theft happened in March and involved a western Pennsylvania resident from North Buffalo Township.
With no identified suspect announced and no cooperation from the victim, the case appears to remain unresolved. Police have not said what, if anything, prompted the man to stop assisting investigators.
Anyone facing a similar situation is typically urged to document the contact, preserve messages, and report the incident to law enforcement. In this case, however, Pennsylvania State Police have released no broader advisory and have focused only on the facts of the ongoing investigation.
