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{"actor":"system:backfill","investigation_id":"25bc9194-e25d-4936-8d52-035f45b76d8f","kind":"publish","page_slug":"doj-scam-center-strike-force-276-arrest-global-operation-2026","published_at":"2026-09-24T12:12:11.832Z","sequence_num":1,"snapshot":{"content_type":"investigation","entity_name":"DOJ Scam Center Strike Force — 276-Arrest Global Operation (2026)","sections":[{"content":"On November 12, 2025, the Department of Justice announced the formation of the Scam Center Strike Force, a cross-agency initiative headquartered in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia under U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. The Strike Force was created to pursue transnational criminal organizations operating cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes — commonly known as 'pig butchering' — from scam compounds predominantly located in Southeast Asia. Partner agencies include DOJ's Criminal Division, the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center recorded $7.2 billion in reported losses from cryptocurrency investment fraud in 2025 alone, up from $5.8 billion in 2024. By late February 2026, within three months of launch, the Strike Force had frozen and seized over $578 million in cryptocurrency.","heading":"Background: The Scam Center Strike Force","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"US launches Scam Center Strike Force to combat crypto investment scammers in Southeast Asia — Cybernews","type":"news_article","url":"https://cybernews.com/security/us-launches-scam-center-strike-force-combat-crypto-investment-scams/"},{"credibility":1,"name":"D.C. Scam Center Strike Force Seizures of Cryptocurrency from Chinese Transnational Criminals Tops $580 Million — IRS Criminal Investigation","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":1,"name":"D.C. Scam Center Strike Force Seizures Tops $580 Million — U.S. Secret Service","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2026/02/dc-scam-center-strike-force-seizures-cryptocurrency-chinese-transnational"}]},{"content":"On April 29, 2026, the DOJ announced the results of a coordinated international law enforcement action led by Dubai Police (under the UAE Ministry of Interior) in partnership with the FBI and China's Ministry of Public Security. The operation resulted in at least 276 arrests and the dismantlement of at least nine scam centers operating in Dubai and Southeast Asia. In the United States, four individuals were charged in the Southern District of California: Thet Min Nyi (age 27, Burmese national), Wiliang Awang (age 23, Indonesian national), Andreas Chandra (age 29, Indonesian national), and Lisa Mariam (age 29, Indonesian national), along with two fugitive co-conspirators. The charges allege wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy, each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years. A separate defendant was apprehended by Royal Thai Police. The FBI simultaneously notified approximately 9,000 victims through its Operation Level Up initiative and announced that proactive victim outreach had saved an estimated $562 million in potential victim losses since January 2024.","heading":"The April 29, 2026 Coordinated Operation — 276 Arrests","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Coordinated Takedown of Scam Centers Leads to at Least 276 Arrests; Alleged Managers and Recruiters Charged in San Diego — DOJ Office of Public Affairs","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/coordinated-takedown-scam-centers-leads-least-276-arrests-alleged-managers-and-recruiters"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Coordinated Takedown of Scam Centers Leads to at Least 276 Arrests — IRS Criminal Investigation","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/coordinated-takedown-of-scam-centers-leads-to-at-least-276-arrests-alleged-managers-and-recruiters-charged-in-san-diego"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Global Crackdown Arrests 276, Shuts 9 Crypto Scam Centers, Seizes $701M — The Hacker News","type":"news_article","url":"https://thehackernews.com/2026/05/global-crackdown-arrests-276-shuts-9.html"}]},{"content":"Six days prior to the 276-arrest announcement, on April 23, 2026, the Strike Force announced a separate but related set of enforcement actions. The DOJ charged two Chinese nationals — Huang Xingshan (also known as 'Ah Zhe' and 'Huang Xing Saan') and Jiang Wen Jie (also known as 'Jiang Nan') — with wire fraud conspiracy for allegedly managing the Shunda scam compound in Min Let Pan, Karen State, Myanmar. The compound allegedly operated from at least January 2025 until approximately November 2025, when it was seized by the Karen National Liberation Army. According to the DOJ indictment, Huang allegedly served as a high-level manager and enforcer who personally participated in the physical punishment of trafficked compound workers. Jiang allegedly served as a team leader supervising workers who targeted American victims; one victim under Jiang's alleged supervision was defrauded of over $3 million through a fraudulent investment platform. Both defendants were arrested by Thai authorities on immigration charges in early 2026 while allegedly traveling from Cambodia to Burma and remain in custody in Thailand. These are allegations; no conviction has been entered. Separately on April 23, the Strike Force restrained $701.96 million in cryptocurrency through a combination of voluntary actions by cryptocurrency exchanges and formal legal processes, and seized 503 fraudulent cryptocurrency investment websites and a Telegram recruitment channel with over 6,000 followers. The OFAC simultaneously sanctioned Cambodian Senator Kok An, businessman Rithy Raksmei, and associated entities for their alleged roles in operating scam compounds, and the State Department offered a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the disruption of Tai Chang scam centers in Burma.","heading":"April 23, 2026 Strike Force Major Actions — Shunda Compound Charges and $701M Restraint","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Scam Center Strike Force Takes Major Actions Against Southeast Asian Scam Centers Targeting Americans — DOJ Office of Public Affairs","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":"US Charges Two Chinese Nationals Over Myanmar Crypto Scam Hub — Bloomberg","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-24/us-charges-two-chinese-nationals-over-myanmar-crypto-scam-hub"},{"credibility":2,"name":"US Charges 2 Chinese Nationals With Managing Cyberscam Compound in Myanmar — U.S. News","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2026-04-23/us-charges-2-chinese-nationals-with-managing-cyberscam-compound-in-myanmar"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Scam Center Strike Force Takes Major Actions — DOJ U.S. Attorney's Office D.C.","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/scam-center-strike-force-takes-major-actions-against-southeast-asian-scam-centers"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Reward Offer of Up to $10 Million for Information on Tai Chang Scam Centers in Burma — U.S. Department of State","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/04/reward-offer-of-up-to-10-million-for-information-leading-to-financial-disruption-of-tai-chang-scam-centers-in-burma/"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Imposing Sanctions on Online Scam Centers in Southeast Asia — U.S. Department of State","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/04/imposing-sanctions-on-online-scam-centers-in-southeast-asia-2"}]},{"content":"A consistent finding across Strike Force enforcement actions is the human trafficking dimension of scam compound operations. According to DOJ court filings and press releases, scam compounds in Myanmar, Cambodia, and elsewhere allegedly recruited foreign nationals under false pretenses of legitimate employment, then held them against their will and forced them to conduct cryptocurrency investment fraud under threat of violence and torture. The FBI deployed personnel to Thailand and, as of the April 2026 actions, had referred 93 identified victims for suicide intervention. This human trafficking element distinguishes these operations from conventional fraud networks and has been cited by U.S. law enforcement as a reason for the whole-of-government approach.","heading":"Human Trafficking Component","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Coordinated Takedown of Scam Centers Leads to at Least 276 Arrests — DOJ Office of Public Affairs","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/coordinated-takedown-scam-centers-leads-least-276-arrests-alleged-managers-and-recruiters"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Global Crackdown Arrests 276, Shuts 9 Crypto Scam Centers, Seizes $701M — The Hacker News","type":"news_article","url":"https://thehackernews.com/2026/05/global-crackdown-arrests-276-shuts-9.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Myanmar Remains Focus of U.S. Anti-Scam Operations — The Irrawaddy","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-remains-focus-of-u-s-anti-scam-operations.html"}]},{"content":"Operation Level Up was launched by the FBI and U.S. Secret Service in January 2024 as a proactive initiative to identify victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud before their losses were complete. As of April 2026, the program had notified 8,935 victims; 77% of those contacted were unaware they were being scammed at the time of notification. The estimated total of savings to victims as of that date was $562,726,245. The program targets victims while they are still actively engaged with fraudulent platforms, allowing intervention before all funds are transferred.","heading":"Operation Level Up — Proactive Victim Intervention","severity":"low","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Scam Center Strike Force Takes Major Actions Against Southeast Asian Scam Centers Targeting Americans — DOJ Office of Public Affairs","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":"Global Crackdown Arrests 276, Shuts 9 Crypto Scam Centers, Seizes $701M — The Hacker News","type":"news_article","url":"https://thehackernews.com/2026/05/global-crackdown-arrests-276-shuts-9.html"}]},{"content":"Operation Atlantic, announced April 9, 2026, was a parallel action led by the U.S. Secret Service in partnership with the UK National Crime Agency, Ontario Provincial Police, and Ontario Securities Commission, spanning more than 30 countries. It focused on 'approval phishing' scams — fraudulent pop-ups and alerts that trick victims into granting criminals access to their cryptocurrency wallets. The operation identified 20,000+ cryptocurrency wallet addresses linked to fraud victims, directly contacted 3,000+ potential victims, disrupted 120+ web domains, and froze $12 million in funds transferred from victims' wallets. An additional $33 million was identified as believed to be linked to investment fraud schemes and remained under investigation.","heading":"Operation Atlantic — Approval Phishing Disruption (April 2026)","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Operation Atlantic Disrupts More Than $45 Million in Cryptocurrency Fraud, Freezes $12 Million in Stolen Funds — U.S. Secret Service","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2026/04/operation-atlantic-disrupts-more-45-million-cryptocurrency-fraud-freezes"}]},{"content":"On June 3, 2026, the Strike Force announced results of 'Disruption Week,' a coordinated operation held May 18–21, 2026 in Washington D.C. that paired federal prosecutors with major technology companies. Private sector partners included Apple, Coinbase, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Silent Push, SpaceX, TRM Labs, and Zenlayer. Government partners included law enforcement from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. The operation resulted in the disruption of over 1.4 million social media and email accounts used by scam networks, the voluntary freezing of $3.8 million in cryptocurrency by private sector participants, decommissioning of servers and hosting infrastructure linked to scam networks, and seven arrests in Thailand in coordination with the Royal Thai Police Anti Cyber Scam Center.","heading":"Disruption Week — Government and Private Sector Coordination (June 2026)","severity":"low","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Scam Center Strike Force Announces Results of U.S. & Private Industry Disruption Week — DOJ Office of Public Affairs","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/scam-center-strike-force-announces-results-us-private-industry-disruption-week"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Scam Center Strike Force Announces Results of Disruption Week — IRS Criminal Investigation","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/scam-center-strike-force-announces-results-of-us-private-industry-disruption-week"},{"credibility":3,"name":"Inside Disruption Week: How the DOJ and Tech Giants Wiped Out 1.4 Million Scam Accounts — ScamWatchHQ","type":"news_article","url":"https://scamwatchhq.com/doj-scam-center-strike-force-disruption-week-1-4-million-accounts-2026/"}]},{"content":"On September 7, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia authorized seizure of Telegram channels hosting Xinbi Guarantee, a Chinese-language illicit marketplace. According to the DOJ and U.S. Treasury, Xinbi Guarantee is a Telegram-based marketplace that has processed at least $24 billion in transactions since 2022, offering services including custom scam investment websites, money laundering for wire fraud proceeds, and recruitment of trafficking victims for scam compounds. In a single day, Strike Force investigators restrained approximately $52 million in cryptocurrency and seized two wallets used by Xinbi to collect vendor payments (valued at approximately $12 million), while seeking restraint of 47 additional wallets. A simultaneous deployment to Madagascar assisted in taking down 13 Chinese-run scam compounds there. This action brought the total cryptocurrency restrained or seized by the Strike Force to approximately $938 million.","heading":"Xinbi Guarantee Seizure and $52M Restraint (September 2026)","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Scam Center Strike Force Conducts Seizures of Chinese-Run Illicit Scammer Marketplace, and Restrains $52 Million in Laundered Crypto Scammer Funds In One Day — U.S. Secret Service","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2026/09/scam-center-strike-force-conducts-seizures-chinese-run-illicit-scammer"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Scam Center Strike Force Conducts Seizures of Chinese-Run Illicit Scammer Marketplace — DOJ U.S. Attorney's Office D.C.","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/scam-center-strike-force-conducts-seizures-chinese-run-illicit-scammer-marketplace-and"},{"credibility":2,"name":"DOJ seizes $52 million in crypto tied to Southeast Asian scam network — American Bazaar","type":"news_article","url":"https://americanbazaaronline.com/2026/09/10/doj-seizes-52m-in-crypto-tied-to-southeast-asian-scam-network-487845/"}]},{"content":"The scam variant targeted by the Strike Force is known as 'pig butchering' (sha zhu pan), a confidence fraud technique in which criminals cultivate trust with victims over weeks or months — often through romantic or friendly relationships established via social media, dating apps, or text messages — before introducing them to a purportedly lucrative cryptocurrency investment platform. Victims are shown fabricated returns on the fraudulent platform and encouraged to deposit increasing amounts of funds. When victims attempt to withdraw, the platform either imposes fabricated 'tax' or 'fee' requirements, or disappears entirely. All victim deposits flow directly to the scam operators. The scam is often conducted by workers held in trafficking conditions at industrial-scale compounds in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos.","heading":"Pig Butchering Scam Methodology","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"The 2026 Pig Butchering Reckoning: Inside the Year's Biggest Crypto Scam Crackdowns — CryptoTimes","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptotimes.io/2026/05/05/2026-pig-butchering-crypto-scam-crackdowns/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Scam Center Strike Force: A Whole-of-Government Response to Global Crypto Fraud — TRM Labs","type":"research","url":"https://www.trmlabs.com/resources/blog/the-scam-center-strike-force-a-whole-of-government-response-to-global-crypto-fraud"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Debevoise Discusses DOJ Crypto Fraud Strike Force — Columbia Law School Blue Sky Blog","type":"research","url":"https://clsbluesky.law.columbia.edu/?p=69553"}]},{"content":"According to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, reported losses from cryptocurrency investment fraud reached $7.2 billion in 2025, up from $5.8 billion in 2024. Industry estimates cited by law enforcement suggest actual annual losses to Americans may be approximately $10 billion when accounting for underreporting. Individual victim losses can be substantial: a single victim under the supervision of Shunda compound defendant Jiang Wen Jie allegedly lost over $3 million to a fraudulent investment platform. The FBI's Operation Level Up has estimated that its proactive outreach program saved $562,726,245 in potential additional victim losses between January 2024 and April 2026.","heading":"Scale of Losses and Victim Impact","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Scam Center Strike Force Announces Results of Disruption Week — DOJ Office of Public Affairs","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/scam-center-strike-force-announces-results-us-private-industry-disruption-week"},{"credibility":1,"name":"D.C. Scam Center Strike Force Seizures Tops $580 Million — IRS Criminal Investigation","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":"276 Arrested in Crypto Scam Crackdown — Bitdefender","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/global-scam-crackdown-crypto-fraud-networks-dismantled"}]}],"sources_used":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Coordinated Takedown of Scam Centers Leads to at Least 276 Arrests — DOJ Office of Public Affairs","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/coordinated-takedown-scam-centers-leads-least-276-arrests-alleged-managers-and-recruiters"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Scam Center Strike Force Takes Major Actions Against Southeast Asian Scam Centers — DOJ Office of Public Affairs","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":"Scam Center Strike Force Takes Major Actions — DOJ U.S. Attorney's Office D.C.","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/scam-center-strike-force-takes-major-actions-against-southeast-asian-scam-centers"},{"credibility":1,"name":"D.C. Scam Center Strike Force Seizures of Cryptocurrency Tops $580 Million — IRS Criminal Investigation","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":1,"name":"D.C. Scam Center Strike Force Seizures Tops $580 Million — U.S. Secret Service","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2026/02/dc-scam-center-strike-force-seizures-cryptocurrency-chinese-transnational"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Coordinated Takedown — 276 Arrests — IRS Criminal Investigation","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/coordinated-takedown-of-scam-centers-leads-to-at-least-276-arrests-alleged-managers-and-recruiters-charged-in-san-diego"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Scam Center Strike Force Announces Results of Disruption Week — DOJ Office of Public Affairs","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/scam-center-strike-force-announces-results-us-private-industry-disruption-week"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Scam Center Strike Force Announces Results of Disruption Week — DOJ U.S. Attorney's Office D.C.","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/scam-center-strike-force-announces-results-us-private-industry-disruption-week"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Scam Center Strike Force Announces Results of Disruption Week — IRS Criminal Investigation","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/scam-center-strike-force-announces-results-of-us-private-industry-disruption-week"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Scam Center Strike Force Conducts Seizures of Chinese-Run Illicit Scammer Marketplace — U.S. Secret Service","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2026/09/scam-center-strike-force-conducts-seizures-chinese-run-illicit-scammer"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Scam Center Strike Force Conducts Seizures — DOJ U.S. Attorney's Office D.C.","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/scam-center-strike-force-conducts-seizures-chinese-run-illicit-scammer-marketplace-and"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Operation Atlantic Disrupts More Than $45 Million in Cryptocurrency Fraud — U.S. Secret Service","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2026/04/operation-atlantic-disrupts-more-45-million-cryptocurrency-fraud-freezes"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Reward Offer of Up to $10 Million for Information on Tai Chang Scam Centers — U.S. Department of State","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/04/reward-offer-of-up-to-10-million-for-information-leading-to-financial-disruption-of-tai-chang-scam-centers-in-burma/"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Imposing Sanctions on Online Scam Centers in Southeast Asia — U.S. Department of State","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/04/imposing-sanctions-on-online-scam-centers-in-southeast-asia-2"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Global Crackdown Arrests 276, Shuts 9 Crypto Scam Centers, Seizes $701M — The Hacker News","type":"news_article","url":"https://thehackernews.com/2026/05/global-crackdown-arrests-276-shuts-9.html"},{"credibility":1,"name":"US Charges Two Chinese Nationals Over Myanmar Crypto Scam Hub — Bloomberg","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-24/us-charges-two-chinese-nationals-over-myanmar-crypto-scam-hub"},{"credibility":2,"name":"US Charges 2 Chinese Nationals With Managing Cyberscam Compound in Myanmar — U.S. News","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2026-04-23/us-charges-2-chinese-nationals-with-managing-cyberscam-compound-in-myanmar"},{"credibility":2,"name":"276 Arrested in Crypto Scam Crackdown — Bitdefender","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/global-scam-crackdown-crypto-fraud-networks-dismantled"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Myanmar Remains Focus of U.S. Anti-Scam Operations — The Irrawaddy","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-remains-focus-of-u-s-anti-scam-operations.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"DOJ seizes $52 million in crypto tied to Southeast Asian scam network — American Bazaar","type":"news_article","url":"https://americanbazaaronline.com/2026/09/10/doj-seizes-52m-in-crypto-tied-to-southeast-asian-scam-network-487845/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Scam Center Strike Force: A Whole-of-Government Response to Global Crypto Fraud — TRM Labs","type":"research","url":"https://www.trmlabs.com/resources/blog/the-scam-center-strike-force-a-whole-of-government-response-to-global-crypto-fraud"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The 2026 Pig Butchering Reckoning — CryptoTimes","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptotimes.io/2026/05/05/2026-pig-butchering-crypto-scam-crackdowns/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Debevoise Discusses DOJ Crypto Fraud Strike Force — Columbia Law School Blue Sky Blog","type":"research","url":"https://clsbluesky.law.columbia.edu/?p=69553"},{"credibility":3,"name":"US DOJ Freezes $580 Million in Cryptocurrency Assets from Southeast Asian Fraud Networks — KuCoin","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.kucoin.com/news/flash/us-doj-freezes-580m-in-cryptocurrency-assets-from-southeast-asian-fraud-networks"},{"credibility":2,"name":"OFAC Targets Southeast Asian Scam Center Network — ABA Banking Journal","type":"news_article","url":"https://bankingjournal.aba.com/2026/04/ofac-targets-southeast-asian-scam-center-network/"}],"summary":"The U.S. Department of Justice's Scam Center Strike Force, launched in November 2025 and based in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, led a series of coordinated international enforcement actions in 2026 targeting Southeast Asian cryptocurrency investment fraud ('pig butchering') compounds. The centerpiece was an April 29, 2026 coordinated operation resulting in at least 276 arrests across multiple countries, the dismantlement of nine scam centers, and the restraint of over $701 million in cryptocurrency. The Strike Force has described annual American losses from these schemes at approximately $7.2 billion in 2025, and as of mid-2026 had restrained or seized approximately $938 million in total across all its actions.","timeline":[{"date":"2024-01-01","event":"FBI and U.S. Secret Service launch Operation Level Up, a proactive initiative to identify and notify victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud before their losses are complete.","source":"DOJ Office of Public Affairs","source_url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/coordinated-takedown-scam-centers-leads-least-276-arrests-alleged-managers-and-recruiters"},{"date":"2025-01-01","event":"Shunda scam compound allegedly begins operations in Min Let Pan, Karen State, Myanmar under alleged management by Huang Xingshan and Jiang Wen Jie.","source":"DOJ Office of Public Affairs","source_url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/scam-center-strike-force-takes-major-actions-against-southeast-asian-scam-centers-targeting"},{"date":"2025-11-01","event":"Karen National Liberation Army seizes the Shunda compound in Myanmar. Alleged managers Huang Xingshan and Jiang Wen Jie relocate to a scam compound in Cambodia.","source":"U.S. News / DOJ","source_url":"https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2026-04-23/us-charges-2-chinese-nationals-with-managing-cyberscam-compound-in-myanmar"},{"date":"2025-11-12","event":"DOJ formally launches the Scam Center Strike Force from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia under U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.","source":"Cybernews","source_url":"https://cybernews.com/security/us-launches-scam-center-strike-force-combat-crypto-investment-scams/"},{"date":"2026-02-26","event":"Strike Force announces that within its first three months it has frozen and seized over $580 million in cryptocurrency connected to pig-butchering scams run by Chinese transnational criminal organizations.","source":"IRS Criminal Investigation / U.S. Secret Service","source_url":"https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/dc-scam-center-strike-force-seizures-of-cryptocurrency-from-chinese-transnational-criminals-tops-580-million"},{"date":"2026-04-09","event":"Operation Atlantic announced: over 30 countries participate; 20,000+ victim wallet addresses identified; 3,000+ potential victims contacted; $12 million in fraudulent funds frozen; 120+ web domains disrupted.","source":"U.S. Secret Service","source_url":"https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2026/04/operation-atlantic-disrupts-more-45-million-cryptocurrency-fraud-freezes"},{"date":"2026-04-23","event":"Strike Force announces major coordinated actions: DOJ charges Huang Xingshan and Jiang Wen Jie (both in Thai custody) for alleged Shunda compound operations; $701.96 million in cryptocurrency restrained; 503 fraudulent investment websites seized; Telegram recruitment channel seized; OFAC sanctions Cambodian officials Kok An and Rithy Raksmei; State Department offers $10 million reward for information on Tai Chang scam centers.","source":"DOJ Office of Public Affairs","source_url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/scam-center-strike-force-takes-major-actions-against-southeast-asian-scam-centers-targeting"},{"date":"2026-04-29","event":"DOJ announces coordinated international operation resulting in at least 276 arrests, dismantlement of nine scam centers in Dubai and Southeast Asia; four defendants charged in San Diego on wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy counts; FBI reports 8,935 Operation Level Up victim notifications and $562 million in estimated victim savings.","source":"DOJ Office of Public Affairs","source_url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/coordinated-takedown-scam-centers-leads-least-276-arrests-alleged-managers-and-recruiters"},{"date":"2026-05-18","event":"Disruption Week convenes in Washington D.C.; DOJ meets with Apple, Coinbase, Google, Meta, Microsoft, SpaceX, TRM Labs, and others to coordinate voluntary disruption of scam infrastructure.","source":"DOJ Office of Public Affairs","source_url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/scam-center-strike-force-announces-results-us-private-industry-disruption-week"},{"date":"2026-06-03","event":"Disruption Week results announced: over 1.4 million social media and email accounts disrupted; $3.8 million in cryptocurrency voluntarily frozen by private sector partners; seven scammers arrested in Thailand.","source":"DOJ Office of Public Affairs / IRS Criminal Investigation","source_url":"https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/scam-center-strike-force-announces-results-us-private-industry-disruption-week"},{"date":"2026-09-07","event":"U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia authorizes seizure of Telegram channels hosting Xinbi Guarantee, a Chinese-language illicit marketplace alleged to have processed $24 billion in transactions since 2022; $52 million in cryptocurrency restrained in a single day; Strike Force total restraints reach approximately $938 million.","source":"U.S. Secret Service / DOJ U.S. Attorney's Office D.C.","source_url":"https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2026/09/scam-center-strike-force-conducts-seizures-chinese-run-illicit-scammer"}]},"v":1}