The U.S. Department of Justice has filed forfeiture actions against more than $25 million in cryptocurrency linked to five international fraud investigations. Authorities allege the recovered
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed forfeiture actions against more than $25 million in cryptocurrency linked to five international fraud investigations. Authorities allege the recovered funds passed through laundering networks that deceived thousands of victims with fake cryptocurrency investment opportunities.
Federal prosecutors announced that the investigations were led by the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office through its Cyber Fraud Task Force. Investigators traced digital assets across multiple transactions before recovering funds connected to the alleged criminal operations.
Officials identified victims across the United States, Canada, and several other countries. Moreover, investigators determined that many victims transferred money after fraudsters promoted fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platforms as legitimate opportunities.
One of the largest investigations began when Canadian authorities alerted U.S. officials in late 2024. Investigators tracked more than 270 suspected victim transactions connected to the scheme. Consequently, prosecutors are seeking to forfeit approximately $10.4 million tied to that operation.
Another investigation focuses on online romance scams that allegedly affected more than 200 victims. Prosecutors claim the suspects gained victims’ trust before directing them to fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platforms. Authorities are seeking approximately $12.1 million connected to that case.
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Two additional investigations originated from complaints filed by victims in the National Capital Region during 2026. One investigation, reported in March, involves roughly $2.4 million in recovered cryptocurrency. Another, reported in May, seeks the forfeiture of nearly $1.2 million linked to a separate fraud network.
Meanwhile, investigators also uncovered a recovery scam targeting victims who had already lost cryptocurrency. Prosecutors allege the operators demanded upfront payments while falsely promising to recover previously stolen digital assets. Authorities are seeking approximately $285,000 tied to that operation.
Investigators determined that the laundering networks largely operated from Southeast Asia. Digital evidence linked the activity to internet addresses in China, Malaysia, and Cambodia. Additionally, authorities found that the suspects used layered transactions and multiple wallets to disguise the movement of stolen cryptocurrency.
The Justice Department noted that the recovered assets add to the results achieved by the Scam Center Strike Force. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro launched the initiative in November 2025 to identify fraud networks, seize illicit proceeds, and recover assets connected to cryptocurrency scams.
Officials reported that the task force has recovered more than $800 million through multiple fraud investigations. Those recoveries involve cryptocurrency investment scams, romance fraud schemes, and other financial crimes involving digital assets.
Pirro stated that the latest forfeiture action demonstrates the government’s strategy of targeting the financial infrastructure supporting international fraud operations. She added that investigators dismantled complex laundering systems, protected victims, and disrupted criminal networks handling illicit cryptocurrency proceeds.
The latest forfeiture filing highlights the Justice Department’s broader effort to dismantle international cryptocurrency fraud operations. Federal authorities remain focused on tracing stolen digital assets, recovering illicit proceeds, and pursuing legal action against laundering networks operating across multiple countries.
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