Man Helping Seemingly 'Blind' Influencer Won $100k — Then His Own Family Allegedly Kidnapped Him By Samira Asma-Sadeque

Authorities in Michigan have charged five people in connection with the abduction of a man who recently went viral on social media when he received $100,000 from an influencer.

Officials have charged Roland Terrell Chatmon, Leica Lopez Martinez, Ieasha Anna Stroman, Dnequia Jenise Stroman and Kenneth Paul Anderson with conspiracy to commit kidnapping in connection with the abduction of Curtis Dixon in Detroit on Sept. 1, according to a criminal complaint shared online by Law & Crime and reviewed by PEOPLE.

Dixon was not named by authorities in the complaint but has been identified by The Detroit News and FOX 2 Detroit as the alleged victim.

Dixon went viral in an Aug. 15 video with TikTok influencer Zachery Dereniowski, who was pretending to be blind and in need of help.

After a few minutes of chatting, Dereniowski tells Dixon he is not blind, then hands him $1,000 cash. Dixon breaks down and the two share an emotional moment.

In a follow-up video, posted on Dereniowski’s TikTok on Aug. 21, he is seen handing Dixon $100,000; in the caption of the video, Dereniowski thanked his followers for helping raise the funds.

On Sept. 1, Detroit police responded to Dixon’s home where his wife told police armed individuals entered the residence, tied her up and stole a safe while brandishing a gun, per the criminal complaint.

Detroit police were also called to a separate location of a car fire, where they found Dixon tied up on the ground next to the burning vehicle, which belonged to him.

Dixon told police he was helping a woman, since identified as Martinez, who allegedly said her car had been taken. When Dixon agreed to give her a ride, they ended up at a location where he was confronted by the other suspects who held him, tied him up and demanded his money, threatening to kill his wife, per the criminal complaint.

The suspects allegedly took him across several spots, some he suspected were ATMs, withdrawing cash from his account, Dixon told police.

Meanwhile, back in their residence, his wife was able to untie herself and notify authorities.

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Using cell phone records and ATM surveillance footage, authorities tracked down the suspects, they said in the complaint.

Investigators also uncovered phone calls between at least one of the suspects and a family member, where they discussed Dixon coming into money and the GoFundMe.

Chatmon was identified as Dixon’s and his wife’s nephew.

Plea information for the suspects were not immediately available. They are due back in court this week, Click 2 Detroit reports.