DOJ Scam Center Strike Force / Southeast Asia Pig Butchering Network
Summary
The Southeast Asia pig-butchering network is a constellation of transnational organized crime syndicates — primarily Chinese-language criminal organizations — operating forced-labor scam compounds across Cambodia, Myanmar (Burma), and Laos that have stolen an estimated $10 billion or more annually from American victims through cryptocurrency investment fraud. In November 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice established the Scam Center Strike Force, a multi-agency interagency task force headquartered in the District of Columbia, to coordinate criminal prosecution, civil asset forfeiture, Treasury sanctions, and private-sector disruption against these networks. By mid-2026, the Strike Force had restrained approximately $725.9 million in cryptocurrency, coordinated at least 276 arrests across an international operation in April–May 2026, and partnered with nine private technology companies during a dedicated 'Disruption Week' that disabled more than 1.4 million fraudulent accounts globally.
Connected Entities
1 entities · 10 linked investigations- + 5 more
Timeline(15 events)
2024-01-01
FBI and U.S. Secret Service launch Operation Level Up, a proactive initiative to identify and notify cryptocurrency investment fraud victims before they lose additional funds.
DOJ Office of Public Affairs2024-09-08
OFAC issues initial designations targeting Southeast Asian cyber scam facilitators and related networks.
Paul Weiss Client Memo2025-05-01
FinCEN proposes Section 311 rule designating Huione Group as a primary money laundering concern under the USA PATRIOT Act.
Paul Weiss Client Memo2025-10-08
EDNY indictment filed against Chen Zhi, founder of Prince Holding Group, for operating forced-labor camps in Cambodia (Case No. 1:25-cr-00312). DOJ simultaneously files the largest forfeiture action in department history: approximately 127,271 bitcoin valued at $15 billion.
Paul Weiss Client Memo2025-10-15
FinCEN finalizes Section 311 rule against Huione Group, severing it from the U.S. financial system. OFAC issues additional designations against 146 individuals and entities in the broader Southeast Asian scam network.
Paul Weiss Client Memo2025-11-01
DOJ establishes the Scam Center Strike Force under the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, directed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen P. Seifert. The Strike Force is announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
DOJ USAO-DC Scam Center Strike Force page2026-01-06
Chen Zhi arrested in Cambodia. Chinese authorities subsequently extradite him to Beijing before U.S. extradition proceedings can be completed.
Crypto Times — 2026 Pig Butchering Reckoning2026-01-01
U.S. government transfers $225 million in USDT to Tether for settlement on the Ethereum blockchain, one of the largest stablecoin seizures in federal enforcement history.
Crypto Times — 2026 Pig Butchering Reckoning2026-02-26
Strike Force announces that cryptocurrency freezes and seizures from Chinese transnational criminal organizations have surpassed $580 million within approximately three months of the Strike Force's establishment.
IRS Criminal Investigation announcement2026-03-06
President Trump signs an Executive Order directing the administration to prioritize cybercrime, fraud, and predatory schemes draining American families of their savings.
Crypto Times — 2026 Pig Butchering Reckoning2026-03-16
Operation Atlantic targets approval phishing techniques across 30+ countries. U.S. Secret Service, UK National Crime Agency, Ontario Provincial Police, and Ontario Securities Commission jointly identify 20,000+ cryptocurrency wallet addresses, freeze $12 million in stolen funds, and disrupt 120+ web domains.
Crypto Times — 2026 Pig Butchering Reckoning2026-04-23
Strike Force announces charges against Chinese nationals Huang Xingshan and Jiang Wen Jie for operating the Shunda compound in Min Let Pan, Burma; restrains over $700 million in cryptocurrency; seizes 503 fraudulent .com domains; seizes first-ever Telegram channel (6,000+ followers); and announces State Department $10 million reward offer for Tai Chang scam center. OFAC simultaneously designates Cambodian senator Kok An and 28 associates.
DOJ Office of Public Affairs2026-04-29
DOJ announces coordinated takedown involving at least 276 arrests (275 in Dubai, 1 in Thailand), dismantlement of 9 scam center compounds, conducted jointly with the FBI, Dubai Police Department, and Chinese Ministry of Public Security. Criminal charges unsealed against Thet Min Nyi, Wiliang Awang, Andreas Chandra, Lisa Mariam, and two fugitive co-conspirators in the Southern District of California.
DOJ Office of Public Affairs2026-05-18
Disruption Week begins, with in-person meetings in Washington, D.C. involving Apple, Coinbase, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Silent Push, SpaceX, TRM Labs, Zenlayer, and international law enforcement partners from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Thailand, and the UK.
DOJ Office of Public Affairs — Disruption Week Results2026-06-03
Strike Force announces Disruption Week results: 1.4 million accounts disrupted, $3.8 million in cryptocurrency frozen by private sector partners, 7 arrests in Thailand, and new Royal Thai Police cases opened.
DOJ Office of Public Affairs — Disruption Week ResultsDecision Log
- hash: ByrwgzguzYiqNDaAvANrcpHrH6WTx5XUaK7uHEVytokn
This investigation is cryptographically anchored to the Solana blockchain and source URLs are archived via the Internet Archive.
model: claude-sonnet-4-6
generated: 6/15/2026, 5:49:28 PM
last updated: 6/15/2026, 5:49:39 PM
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