Audit log

Every state-changing event for DOJ $225M Crypto Confidence Scam Seizure June 2026: moderation decisions on community submissions, plus corrections and updates from the news pipeline. URL-based decisions carry three independent witnesses — the original source, an Internet Archive snapshot taken at submission time, and a Solana memo signed by our publicly-disclosed publisher key.

1. #1publishby system:backfill

   2026-06-15 12:36:44Z
   Score: ? → ? (no score change)
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   ●mainnet-betaslot 426,635,413

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   5QePaA3jxfXc…aqVW16oScopyexplorer ↗

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   4nhdzLKmZGH3…MLe5p1qhcopysha256 → base58

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   {"actor":"system:backfill","investigation_id":"cf84d32e-5ff9-419a-b889-6cf26899ea22","kind":"publish","page_slug":"doj-225m-crypto-confidence-scam-seizure-june-2026","published_at":"2026-06-15T12:36:44.122Z","sequence_num":1,"snapshot":{"content_type":"investigation","entity_name":"DOJ $225M Crypto Confidence Scam Seizure June 2026","sections":[{"content":"On June 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil forfeiture complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia targeting approximately $225,364,961 in USDT (Tether). The complaint was filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia (Press Release No. 25-633) and is described by officials as the largest cryptocurrency seizure in U.S. Secret Service history. The action names no individual defendants but seeks civil forfeiture of wallet clusters and exchange accounts alleged to constitute proceeds of wire fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors identified the funds as traceable to cryptocurrency investment confidence scams — commonly referred to as 'pig butchering' — perpetrated by actors operating from Southeast Asia, primarily the Philippines and Vietnam.","heading":"Overview of the Civil Forfeiture Action","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ OPA Press Release: United States Files Civil Forfeiture Complaint Against $225M in Funds Involved in Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud Money Laundering","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/united-states-files-civil-forfeiture-complaint-against-225m-funds-involved-cryptocurrency"},{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ USAO-DC Press Release: Largest Ever Seizure of Funds Related to Crypto Confidence Scams","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/largest-ever-seizure-funds-related-crypto-confidence-scams"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Record: DOJ moves to seize $225 million in crypto stolen by scammers","type":"news_article","url":"https://therecord.media/doj-moves-to-seize-225-million-in-stolen-crypto"}]},{"content":"The investigation was conducted jointly by the FBI (San Francisco Field Office and Criminal Division) and the U.S. Secret Service (San Francisco Field Office). Prosecutors include Trial Attorneys Stefanie Schwartz and Ethan Cantor from the DOJ's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Rosenberg and Rick Blaylock Jr. from the District of Columbia. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro stated the office was taking 'a leading role in the fight against crypto-confidence scams,' while Matthew Galeotti, head of the DOJ Criminal Division, described the schemes as causing 'billions of dollars' in annual harm to American victims. Secret Service Special Agent Bradstreet confirmed this as the largest cryptocurrency seizure in the agency's history.","heading":"Agencies and Investigators","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ OPA Press Release: United States Files Civil Forfeiture Complaint Against $225M","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/united-states-files-civil-forfeiture-complaint-against-225m-funds-involved-cryptocurrency"},{"credibility":2,"name":"TRM Labs: US DOJ Announces Largest Ever Seizure of Funds Related to Crypto Scams","type":"research","url":"https://www.trmlabs.com/resources/blog/us-doj-announces-largest-ever-seizure-of-funds-related-to-crypto-scams"}]},{"content":"Investigators identified over 430 suspected victims across the United States and internationally, including individuals in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Germany. Approximately 60 U.S. victims were interviewed, having lost a combined approximately $19 million. Victims were distributed across multiple U.S. states including Texas, Arizona, Virginia, Iowa, and California. The FBI's 2024 Internet Crime Report cited more than $5.8 billion in reported losses from cryptocurrency investment fraud in 2024 alone. A notable case documented in the complaint is that of Shan Hanes, the former CEO of Heartland Tri-State Bank (Elkhart, Kansas). Between May 30 and July 7, 2023, Hanes made ten wire transfers totaling approximately $47.1 million from the bank to a cryptocurrency wallet he controlled as part of what he believed was a legitimate investment opportunity. This activity depleted the bank's liquidity, triggered $21 million in emergency borrowing, and created a $35 million capital shortfall, forcing regulators to close the institution. Hanes was sentenced to 24 years in prison in August 2024. The DOJ complaint identifies approximately $3.3 million of Hanes's embezzled funds as traceable to the laundry network targeted in the forfeiture action, making him both a perpetrator and a victim within the scope of the complaint.","heading":"Victims and Financial Harm","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"CoinDesk: DOJ Ties Kansas Bank Collapse to $225 Million 'Pig Butchering' Seizure","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2025/06/18/doj-ties-kansas-bank-collapse-to-225-million-pig-butchering-seizure"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Yahoo Finance: DOJ Ties Kansas Bank Collapse to $225 Million 'Pig Butchering' Seizure","type":"news_article","url":"https://finance.yahoo.com/news/doj-ties-kansas-bank-collapse-015227111.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Record: DOJ moves to seize $225 million in crypto stolen by scammers","type":"news_article","url":"https://therecord.media/doj-moves-to-seize-225-million-in-stolen-crypto"},{"credibility":2,"name":"TRM Labs: US DOJ Announces Largest Ever Seizure of Funds Related to Crypto Scams","type":"research","url":"https://www.trmlabs.com/resources/blog/us-doj-announces-largest-ever-seizure-of-funds-related-to-crypto-scams"}]},{"content":"Investigators employed Last-In-First-Out (LIFO) blockchain tracing methodology to follow victim funds through the laundering network. Funds were traced through 93 scam deposit addresses, then through 35 intermediary wallets, before being consolidated into seven final USDT wallet groups designated A through G in the complaint: Group A ($135M), Group B ($71M), Group C ($102M), Group D ($3M), Group E ($77M), Group F ($65M), and Group G ($59M). Laundering techniques included peel chains — incremental reductions in transferred amounts per transaction — cross-chain swaps across the Ethereum, Bitcoin, and TRON networks, structured transaction hops through hundreds of wallets, and deliberate gas fee payments of $25,000 to $125,000 per transaction, apparently designed to disrupt automated pattern recognition. The network allegedly executed hundreds of thousands of transactions. A case study documented in the complaint traced individual victim funds through 11 to 16 intermediate hops before reaching OKX accounts. The forfeiture complaint identifies 144 OKX exchange accounts as components of the laundering operation. Analysis revealed that a single IP address accessed 132 of the 144 OKX accounts, that all accounts were opened using Vietnamese identification documents and photographs apparently taken in the same location, and that all accounts were associated with email addresses sharing common naming conventions. Nearly all of the 144 accounts were accessed via IP addresses registered in the Philippines.","heading":"Blockchain Analysis and Laundering Infrastructure","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"TRM Labs: US DOJ Announces Largest Ever Seizure of Funds Related to Crypto Scams","type":"research","url":"https://www.trmlabs.com/resources/blog/us-doj-announces-largest-ever-seizure-of-funds-related-to-crypto-scams"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Baker McKenzie Blockchain Blog: The $225 Million Crypto Seizure: A Landmark in Pig Butchering Scam Combat","type":"research","url":"https://blockchain.bakermckenzie.com/2025/07/01/the-225-million-crypto-seizure-a-landmark-in-pig-butchering-scam-combat/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Record: DOJ moves to seize $225 million in crypto stolen by scammers","type":"news_article","url":"https://therecord.media/doj-moves-to-seize-225-million-in-stolen-crypto"}]},{"content":"OKX, a major cryptocurrency exchange, is identified in the DOJ complaint as the platform through which the 144 coordinated laundering accounts operated. OKX initially flagged suspicious activity on these accounts, providing the investigative lead that enabled federal agents to map the network. Tether (the issuer of USDT) cooperated with law enforcement by freezing the targeted assets held across the seven identified wallet groups. Tether subsequently burned the frozen USDT tokens and reissued an equivalent value directly to the U.S. government for potential victim restitution. This represented an early example of a stablecoin issuer acting as an active enforcement partner in a civil forfeiture proceeding.","heading":"OKX Exchange and Tether Cooperation","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"TRM Labs: US DOJ Announces Largest Ever Seizure of Funds Related to Crypto Scams","type":"research","url":"https://www.trmlabs.com/resources/blog/us-doj-announces-largest-ever-seizure-of-funds-related-to-crypto-scams"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Record: DOJ moves to seize $225 million in crypto stolen by scammers","type":"news_article","url":"https://therecord.media/doj-moves-to-seize-225-million-in-stolen-crypto"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto Briefing: US DOJ seeks to forfeit $225 million in crypto from global scam network","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptobriefing.com/crypto-scam-forfeiture-seizure/"}]},{"content":"The DOJ complaint identifies ITECHNO Specialist Inc., a Manila-based call center, as the location where operators of the alleged laundering accounts worked. The company previously operated as a business process outsourcing (BPO) firm with reported connections to the Philippine offshore gaming industry. Investigators traced the shared IP addresses and device access patterns of the 144 OKX accounts to this Manila facility. The complaint further links the laundering network to scam compounds in the Philippines where individuals, in some cases allegedly through coercion, operated the fraud infrastructure. The use of Vietnamese identification documents in the Philippines suggests cross-border movement of personnel or document trafficking to construct synthetic identities for the exchange accounts.","heading":"ITECHNO Specialist Inc. and Scam Compound Infrastructure","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"The Record: DOJ moves to seize $225 million in crypto stolen by scammers","type":"news_article","url":"https://therecord.media/doj-moves-to-seize-225-million-in-stolen-crypto"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Fortune: DOJ 225 million Philippines scam compound USDT pig butchering","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.fortune.com/crypto/2025/06/18/doj-225-million-phillipines-scam-compound-usdt-pig-butchering"}]},{"content":"The $225 million forfeiture action is part of a larger enforcement campaign conducted by the D.C. Scam Center Strike Force, established in late 2024 by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. By February 2026, the Strike Force had frozen or seized more than $580 million in cryptocurrency linked to Chinese transnational criminal organizations operating pig-butchering scam compounds primarily in Burma, Cambodia, and Laos. The Strike Force is coordinated across the DOJ, FBI, U.S. Secret Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. On April 29, 2026, the DOJ announced a major international sweep — coordinated with Dubai Police and the Chinese Ministry of Public Security — resulting in 276 arrests, the dismantlement of 9 scam centers, the seizure or restraint of $701 million in cryptocurrency, and the shutdown of 503 fake investment websites. Federal criminal charges for wire fraud and money laundering were unsealed in San Diego against six individuals, including nationals from Burma and Indonesia alleged to have managed operations under the names 'Sanduo Group' and 'Giant Company.' Two Chinese nationals — Jiang Wen Jie and Huang Xingshan — were charged for operating the Shunda scam compound in Myanmar, which prosecutors alleged involved human trafficking and forced labor of scam workers.","heading":"Broader Enforcement Context: D.C. Scam Center Strike Force","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ USAO-DC: D.C. Scam Center Strike Force Seizures of Cryptocurrency from Chinese Transnational Criminals Tops $580 Million","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/dc-scam-center-strike-force-seizures-cryptocurrency-chinese-transnational-criminals-tops"},{"credibility":1,"name":"U.S. Secret Service: D.C. Scam Center Strike Force Seizures Top $580 Million","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2026/02/dc-scam-center-strike-force-seizures-cryptocurrency-chinese-transnational"},{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ OPA: Scam Center Strike Force Takes Major Actions Against Southeast Asian Scam Centers","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/scam-center-strike-force-takes-major-actions-against-southeast-asian-scam-centers-targeting"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Hacker News: Global Crackdown Arrests 276, Shuts 9 Crypto Scam Centers, Seizes $701M","type":"news_article","url":"https://thehackernews.com/2026/05/global-crackdown-arrests-276-shuts-9.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Block: US strike force freezes and seizes over $580 million in crypto tied to Chinese crime networks","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/amp/post/391576/us-strike-force-freezes-and-seizes-over-580-million-in-crypto-tied-to-chinese-crime-networks"}]},{"content":"Running in parallel with the forfeiture actions, the FBI's Operation Level Up — launched in January 2024 — proactively identifies and contacts individuals who are actively being victimized by pig-butchering cryptocurrency investment fraud before they complete their final transfers. As of March 2026, Operation Level Up had notified approximately 8,935 victims, of whom approximately 77% were reportedly unaware they were being scammed at the time of contact, saving an estimated $562 million in prevented losses. The FBI reported that 93 victims had been referred to victim specialists for suicide intervention due to the psychological and financial devastation caused by the scams. The initiative also shut down a Telegram recruitment channel (@pogojobhiring2023), which had over 6,500 followers and was being used to recruit forced labor for scam compound operations.","heading":"Operation Level Up: Proactive Victim Intervention","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"FBI: Operation Level Up","type":"official","url":"https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/national-crimes-and-victim-resources/operation-level-up"},{"credibility":1,"name":"FBI: Operation Level-Up — How the FBI Is Saving Victims from Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud","type":"official","url":"https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/operation-level-up-how-the-fbi-is-saving-victims-from-cryptocurrency-investment-fraud"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Hacker News: Global Crackdown Arrests 276, Shuts 9 Crypto Scam Centers, Seizes $701M","type":"news_article","url":"https://thehackernews.com/2026/05/global-crackdown-arrests-276-shuts-9.html"}]},{"content":"Alongside the forfeiture actions, the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Philippines-based digital infrastructure providers alleged to have supplied the technical backbone for pig-butchering scam operations, including hosting, VPN services, and communications infrastructure. Cambodian Senator Kok An and associates were also sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in connection with scam compound facilitation. These OFAC actions complement the DOJ's civil forfeiture strategy by targeting both the financial proceeds and the enabling infrastructure of the fraud networks.","heading":"Related Enforcement Actions: OFAC Sanctions","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"The Register: FBI, Treasury move against top pig butchering scam host","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/30/fbi_treasury_funnull_sanctions/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"SCMP: US sanctions Philippine tech firm over pig butchering scams","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3312937/us-sanctions-philippine-tech-firm-over-pig-butchering-scams-duped-victims-millions"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Yahoo Finance: OFAC Sanctions Philippines-Based Tech Company For Facilitating Pig Butchering Schemes","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.yahoo.com/news/ofac-sanctions-philippines-based-tech-203949467.html"}]}],"sources_used":[{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ OPA: United States Files Civil Forfeiture Complaint Against $225M in Funds Involved in Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud Money Laundering","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/united-states-files-civil-forfeiture-complaint-against-225m-funds-involved-cryptocurrency"},{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ USAO-DC: Largest Ever Seizure of Funds Related to Crypto Confidence Scams","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/largest-ever-seizure-funds-related-crypto-confidence-scams"},{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ USAO-DC: D.C. Scam Center Strike Force Seizures of Cryptocurrency from Chinese Transnational Criminals Tops $580 Million","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/dc-scam-center-strike-force-seizures-cryptocurrency-chinese-transnational-criminals-tops"},{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ OPA: Scam Center Strike Force Takes Major Actions Against Southeast Asian Scam Centers Targeting Americans","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/scam-center-strike-force-takes-major-actions-against-southeast-asian-scam-centers-targeting"},{"credibility":1,"name":"U.S. Secret Service: D.C. Scam Center Strike Force Seizures of Cryptocurrency from Chinese Transnational Criminals Tops $580 Million","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2026/02/dc-scam-center-strike-force-seizures-cryptocurrency-chinese-transnational"},{"credibility":1,"name":"FBI: Operation Level Up","type":"official","url":"https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/national-crimes-and-victim-resources/operation-level-up"},{"credibility":1,"name":"FBI: Operation Level-Up — How the FBI Is Saving Victims from Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud","type":"official","url":"https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/operation-level-up-how-the-fbi-is-saving-victims-from-cryptocurrency-investment-fraud"},{"credibility":1,"name":"IRS Criminal Investigation: D.C. Scam Center Strike Force Seizures of Cryptocurrency from Chinese Transnational Criminals Tops $580 Million","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/dc-scam-center-strike-force-seizures-of-cryptocurrency-from-chinese-transnational-criminals-tops-580-million"},{"credibility":2,"name":"TRM Labs: US DOJ Announces Largest Ever Seizure of Funds Related to Crypto Scams","type":"research","url":"https://www.trmlabs.com/resources/blog/us-doj-announces-largest-ever-seizure-of-funds-related-to-crypto-scams"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Record: DOJ moves to seize $225 million in crypto stolen by scammers","type":"news_article","url":"https://therecord.media/doj-moves-to-seize-225-million-in-stolen-crypto"},{"credibility":2,"name":"CoinDesk: DOJ Ties Kansas Bank Collapse to $225 Million 'Pig Butchering' Seizure","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2025/06/18/doj-ties-kansas-bank-collapse-to-225-million-pig-butchering-seizure"},{"credibility":2,"name":"CoinDesk: DOJ's $225M Seizure Puts Human Cost of Crypto Scams in Focus","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2025/07/02/dojs-225m-seizure-puts-human-cost-of-crypto-scams-in-focus-former-acting-u-s-attorney-says"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Baker McKenzie Blockchain Blog: The $225 Million Crypto Seizure: A Landmark in Pig Butchering Scam Combat","type":"research","url":"https://blockchain.bakermckenzie.com/2025/07/01/the-225-million-crypto-seizure-a-landmark-in-pig-butchering-scam-combat/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Hacker News: Global Crackdown Arrests 276, Shuts 9 Crypto Scam Centers, Seizes $701M","type":"news_article","url":"https://thehackernews.com/2026/05/global-crackdown-arrests-276-shuts-9.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Block: US strike force freezes and seizes over $580 million in crypto tied to Chinese crime networks","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/amp/post/391576/us-strike-force-freezes-and-seizes-over-580-million-in-crypto-tied-to-chinese-crime-networks"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto Briefing: US DOJ seeks to forfeit $225 million in crypto from global scam network","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptobriefing.com/crypto-scam-forfeiture-seizure/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Register: FBI, Treasury move against top pig butchering scam host","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/30/fbi_treasury_funnull_sanctions/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"SCMP: US sanctions Philippine tech firm over pig butchering scams","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3312937/us-sanctions-philippine-tech-firm-over-pig-butchering-scams-duped-victims-millions"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Yahoo Finance: DOJ Ties Kansas Bank Collapse to $225 Million 'Pig Butchering' Seizure","type":"news_article","url":"https://finance.yahoo.com/news/doj-ties-kansas-bank-collapse-015227111.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Fortune: DOJ 225 million Philippines scam compound USDT pig butchering","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.fortune.com/crypto/2025/06/18/doj-225-million-phillipines-scam-compound-usdt-pig-butchering"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Bleeping Computer: US recovers $225 million of crypto stolen in investment scams","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/legal/us-recovers-225-million-of-crypto-stolen-in-investment-scams/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Cybernews: FBI, Dubai police bust 9 crypto scam centers, 276 arrested","type":"news_article","url":"https://cybernews.com/cybercrime/fbi-raid-nine-crypto-scam-centers-victims-562-million/"}],"summary":"On June 18, 2025, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia filed a civil forfeiture complaint seeking $225,364,961 in USDT linked to a sophisticated cryptocurrency investment fraud and money laundering network, marking the largest cryptocurrency seizure in U.S. Secret Service history. The funds were traced via blockchain analysis to pig-butchering scam operations allegedly run from compounds in the Philippines and Vietnam, affecting over 430 suspected victims globally. The action is part of a broader 2025-2026 federal crackdown that includes the D.C. Scam Center Strike Force, Operation Level Up, and a coordinated international sweep resulting in 276 arrests and $701 million in restrained assets.","timeline":[{"date":"2023-05-30","event":"Shan Hanes, CEO of Heartland Tri-State Bank (Kansas), begins a series of ten wire transfers totaling approximately $47.1 million of bank funds into a cryptocurrency wallet, believing he is investing in a legitimate opportunity later determined to be a pig-butchering scam.","source":"CoinDesk","source_url":"https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2025/06/18/doj-ties-kansas-bank-collapse-to-225-million-pig-butchering-seizure"},{"date":"2023-07-07","event":"Heartland Tri-State Bank is closed by Kansas regulators after Hanes's wire transfers create a $35 million capital shortfall and deplete institutional liquidity.","source":"Yahoo Finance","source_url":"https://finance.yahoo.com/news/doj-ties-kansas-bank-collapse-015227111.html"},{"date":"2024-01-01","event":"FBI launches Operation Level Up to proactively identify and contact active pig-butchering victims before they complete further transfers.","source":"FBI.gov","source_url":"https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/national-crimes-and-victim-resources/operation-level-up"},{"date":"2024-08-01","event":"Shan Hanes is sentenced to 24 years in federal prison for bank fraud related to the $47.1 million embezzlement.","source":"Yahoo Finance","source_url":"https://finance.yahoo.com/news/doj-ties-kansas-bank-collapse-015227111.html"},{"date":"2024-11-01","event":"The D.C. Scam Center Strike Force is established by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, focusing on Southeast Asian pig-butchering scam compounds and their cryptocurrency laundering infrastructure.","source":"U.S. Secret Service","source_url":"https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2026/02/dc-scam-center-strike-force-seizures-cryptocurrency-chinese-transnational"},{"date":"2025-05-30","event":"U.S. Treasury OFAC sanctions Philippines-based digital infrastructure providers alleged to have supplied hosting and communications infrastructure for pig-butchering scam compounds.","source":"The Register","source_url":"https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/30/fbi_treasury_funnull_sanctions/"},{"date":"2025-06-18","event":"U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia files a civil forfeiture complaint in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia seeking $225,364,961 in USDT linked to pig-butchering cryptocurrency investment fraud — the largest cryptocurrency seizure in U.S. Secret Service history. Tether freezes and subsequently burns the targeted assets, reissuing equivalent value to the U.S. government.","source":"DOJ Office of Public Affairs","source_url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/united-states-files-civil-forfeiture-complaint-against-225m-funds-involved-cryptocurrency"},{"date":"2026-02-01","event":"D.C. Scam Center Strike Force announces total freezes and seizures have surpassed $580 million in cryptocurrency linked to Chinese transnational criminal organizations.","source":"U.S. Secret Service / DOJ USAO-DC","source_url":"https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2026/02/dc-scam-center-strike-force-seizures-cryptocurrency-chinese-transnational"},{"date":"2026-03-01","event":"Operation Level Up reports approximately 8,935 victim notifications as of this date, with an estimated $562 million in prevented losses and 93 suicide intervention referrals.","source":"FBI.gov","source_url":"https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/operation-level-up-how-the-fbi-is-saving-victims-from-cryptocurrency-investment-fraud"},{"date":"2026-04-29","event":"DOJ announces an international enforcement sweep — coordinated among the FBI, Dubai Police, and Chinese Ministry of Public Security — resulting in 276 arrests across multiple countries, dismantlement of 9 scam centers, seizure or restraint of $701 million in cryptocurrency, and shutdown of 503 fraudulent investment websites. Federal criminal charges for wire fraud and money laundering are unsealed in San Diego against six individuals including Burmese and Indonesian nationals.","source":"The Hacker News / DOJ OPA","source_url":"https://thehackernews.com/2026/05/global-crackdown-arrests-276-shuts-9.html"}]},"v":1}

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