U.S. law enforcement has seized over $868,247 in cryptocurrency from individuals involved in a crypto-related fraud scheme. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, FBI Special Agent David K. Porter of Honolulu, and Deputy Chief Claudia Quiroz of the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.
According to the Justice Department, the scheme involved scammers contacting victims through text messages, dating apps, and professional platforms. After gaining the victims’ trust, the perpetrators convinced them to move money from their bank accounts to U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchanges. Victims were then directed to transfer the funds into fake investment platforms that appeared legitimate but redirected funds to the scammers’ wallets. Victims were sometimes allowed to make small withdrawals to build trust, but eventually found themselves unable to access their accounts or recover their funds..
The FBI’s Honolulu office is leading the investigation, with help from the DOJ’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI’s Virtual Asset Unit. The DOJ noted Tether’s cooperation in helping recover the seized assets. Anyone who believes they may have been targeted by similar scams is encouraged to file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Rosenberg and Rick Blaylock Jr., with support from DOJ trial attorneys Gaelin Bernstein, Stefanie Schwartz, and Daniel Zytnick.
