On July 21, 2026, US federal prosecutors and the Secret Service filed five civil forfeiture complaints targeting over $25 million in cryptocurrency linked to scams affecting thousands in the US and Canada.
The funds are part of a larger recovery exceeding $800 million by the Scam Center Strike Force, which focuses on dismantling Chinese transnational criminal syndicates operating crypto fraud schemes in Southeast Asia.
Details on Seizures and Investigations
Each complaint is connected to separate investigations conducted by the Secret Service’s Cyber Fraud Task Force. The seized $25 million involves multiple cases, including one with over 200 victims defrauded through online romance scams, accounting for approximately $12.09 million.
Another case, triggered by Canadian authorities’ tip-off in late 2024, froze wallet addresses tied to fake investment platforms and over 270 suspected victim transactions, with assets amounting to about $10.4 million.
The remaining three complaints contributed the rest to the $25 million total, with suspects traced to Southeast Asia.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, who launched the Scam Center Strike Force in November 2025, stated that this seizure demonstrates the effectiveness of targeting international crypto fraud networks.
