The US Department of Justice filed five civil forfeiture complaints on Tuesday seeking more than $25 million in cryptocurrency allegedly tied to international investment, romance and recovery scams targeting victims in Canada and the United States. The assets were recovered through separate investigations by the Cyber Fraud Task Force, according to the US Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and the US Secret Service's Washington Field Office. Investigators identified several laundering networks and confirmed thousands of victims worldwide who were misled into believing they were making legitimate digital asset investments.
DOJ Complaints Target $25 Million Across Five Separate Cases
The largest complaint seeks approximately $12.1 million linked to romance schemes that defrauded more than 200 victims, with proceeds routed through intermediary addresses and commingled with other victim funds. Another complaint seeks $10.4 million traced to more than 270 suspected victim transactions. Three smaller cases involved fake investment accounts and a secondary scam offering to recover previously stolen funds. The DOJ stated that the launderers were predominantly located in Southeast Asia, with related IP addresses in China, Malaysia and Cambodia.
Interpol Operation First Light 2026 Results in 5,811 Arrests
The complaints follow an Interpol-coordinated operation targeting social engineering scams and financial networks used to launder their proceeds. Operation First Light 2026 involved 97 countries and territories, resulted in 5,811 arrests and the interception of $283 million in illicit assets. Interpol said the operation identified more than 142,000 victims and blocked more than 31,000 bank accounts. Thai authorities uncovered a network that allegedly converted romance-scam proceeds into crypto and used cross-chain token swaps to obscure the trail. A wallet associated with one suspected money launderer processed more than $122.5 million in crypto over 10 months.
US Authorities Seized $61 Million USDT in February
In February, federal agents seized over $61 million in USDT stablecoin from addresses allegedly used to launder proceeds from fraudulent investment platforms. Investigators said scammers first gained trust through romantic relationships, then directed victims to fake trading platforms before moving their money through multiple wallets.
FAQ
What did the US Department of Justice file on Tuesday?
The US Department of Justice filed five civil forfeiture complaints on Tuesday seeking more than $25 million in cryptocurrency allegedly tied to international investment, romance and recovery scams targeting victims in Canada and the United States.
How much cryptocurrency did the largest DOJ complaint seek to forfeit?
The largest complaint seeks approximately $12.1 million linked to romance schemes that defrauded more than 200 victims, with proceeds routed through intermediary addresses and commingled with other victim funds.
What were the results of Interpol Operation First Light 2026?
Operation First Light 2026 involved 97 countries and territories, resulted in 5,811 arrests and the interception of $283 million in illicit assets. Interpol said the operation identified more than 142,000 victims and blocked more than 31,000 bank accounts.
