Blab Crypto
US Attorneys Office Seeks $25 Million in Crypto From Romance and Investment Scams
On July 21, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia filed five civil forfeiture complaints that aim to seize more than $25 million in cryptocurrency linked to international romance and investment fraud. The move follows a Secret Service Washington Field Office investigation that traced the illicit funds through a web of hundreds of wallet addresses tied to schemes that duped residents of the United States and Canada.
The action adds to the more than $800 million the Scam Center Strike Force has recovered since its launch in November 2025. The two largest complaints target $12,086,914 that flowed from online romance scams involving over 200 victims, and $10,400,913 that stemmed from fraudulent investment platforms. In the latter case, Canadian authorities flagged the wallet network in late 2024, and investigators counted more than 270 suspected victim transactions.
Three smaller filings complete the set. One seeks $2,392,231 after a National Capital Region victim wired crypto to a bogus investment account in March 2026, which led investigators to a second victim on the same platform. The other two total $1,230,900, tied to a May 2026 victim who was cut off after requesting a withdrawal, and $285,000 from a recovery scam that charged an already‑defrauded victim a fee to supposedly retrieve stolen funds.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the launderers behind all five schemes can be traced to IP addresses in China, Malaysia and Cambodia—regions that the Strike Force routinely targets. The repeated appearance of fake investment platforms promising steady returns, romance‑based social engineering and recovery scammers preying on people who have already lost money illustrates the patterns the agency is confronting.
Investigators are still tracking transactions tied to the recovery scheme in Investigation 5, and the office says all five networks remain under active pursuit. “These investigations are far from over,” said Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Tara McLeese. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen P. Seifert continues to direct the Strike Force, now expanded to include the FBI.
If someone you met online—whether through a dating app or a social‑media platform—begins steering you toward a cryptocurrency investment that promises guaranteed returns, treat it as a warning sign rather than an opportunity. Likewise, if you have already lost funds to a scam, be wary of anyone who contacts you afterward promising to recover the money for an upfront fee, as that is the exact scheme described in Investigation 5. Report suspected fraud through IC3.gov or a local Secret Service field office instead of paying anyone who claims they can reverse the loss.
These forfeiture actions form part of a broader effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to disrupt the flow of illicit funds into U.S. and Canadian markets. The office, operating under the Civil Division and working closely with federal partners such as the Secret Service and the FBI, has recovered more than $800 million in crypto assets since the Strike Force was launched. While the five cases remain active, the agency continues to monitor the networks and pursue additional evidence to secure full forfeiture and potential criminal prosecutions.
The action adds to the more than $800 million the Scam Center Strike Force has recovered since its launch in November 2025. The two largest complaints target $12,086,914 that flowed from online romance scams involving over 200 victims, and $10,400,913 that stemmed from fraudulent investment platforms. In the latter case, Canadian authorities flagged the wallet network in late 2024, and investigators counted more than 270 suspected victim transactions.
Three smaller filings complete the set. One seeks $2,392,231 after a National Capital Region victim wired crypto to a bogus investment account in March 2026, which led investigators to a second victim on the same platform. The other two total $1,230,900, tied to a May 2026 victim who was cut off after requesting a withdrawal, and $285,000 from a recovery scam that charged an already‑defrauded victim a fee to supposedly retrieve stolen funds.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the launderers behind all five schemes can be traced to IP addresses in China, Malaysia and Cambodia—regions that the Strike Force routinely targets. The repeated appearance of fake investment platforms promising steady returns, romance‑based social engineering and recovery scammers preying on people who have already lost money illustrates the patterns the agency is confronting.
Investigators are still tracking transactions tied to the recovery scheme in Investigation 5, and the office says all five networks remain under active pursuit. “These investigations are far from over,” said Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Tara McLeese. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen P. Seifert continues to direct the Strike Force, now expanded to include the FBI.
If someone you met online—whether through a dating app or a social‑media platform—begins steering you toward a cryptocurrency investment that promises guaranteed returns, treat it as a warning sign rather than an opportunity. Likewise, if you have already lost funds to a scam, be wary of anyone who contacts you afterward promising to recover the money for an upfront fee, as that is the exact scheme described in Investigation 5. Report suspected fraud through IC3.gov or a local Secret Service field office instead of paying anyone who claims they can reverse the loss.
These forfeiture actions form part of a broader effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to disrupt the flow of illicit funds into U.S. and Canadian markets. The office, operating under the Civil Division and working closely with federal partners such as the Secret Service and the FBI, has recovered more than $800 million in crypto assets since the Strike Force was launched. While the five cases remain active, the agency continues to monitor the networks and pursue additional evidence to secure full forfeiture and potential criminal prosecutions.
