Interpol uncovers $122 million crypto laundering scheme tied to romance scams
Interpol has uncovered an international money laundering operation linked to so-called romance scams. According to the organization, a cryptocurrency wallet connected to the suspects processed more than $122.5 million over a ten-month period.
According to an Interpol press release, Thai authorities arrested two suspects allegedly involved in laundering proceeds generated through romance fraud schemes.
International operation
The suspects allegedly converted stolen funds into cryptocurrency and used cross-chain token swaps to conceal the origin of the assets.The investigation was conducted as part of Operation First Light 2026, an international initiative coordinated by Interpol involving law enforcement agencies from 97 countries and territories.
The operation resulted in the arrest of 5,811 suspects, the seizure of approximately $293 million in illicit assets, and the freezing of 31,014 bank accounts. Authorities also solved 23,715 criminal cases and identified 15,606 suspects.
Fraudsters increasingly rely on crypto
Interpol said investigators focused on bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets used to move criminal proceeds.Authorities in Palau also deported 22 individuals who allegedly worked at two scam compounds operating under the guise of hotels. According to investigators, the groups used cryptocurrencies and illegal gambling websites to defraud foreign victims.
Interpol said social engineering schemes remain among the most serious global threats and stressed that combating them requires close international cooperation.
In June, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the freezing of $3.8 million in crypto assets during an international anti-fraud operation. Working with cryptocurrency companies, authorities disrupted more than 1.4 million scam-related accounts and infrastructure used for investment and romance scams, while seven suspects were arrested in Thailand.
Earlier, U.S. authorities charged an alleged member of the Scattered Spider hacking group following his extradition from Finland. Prosecutors said the group carried out cyberattacks, ransomware operations, and crypto-enabled extortion targeting U.S. companies.
Latest Scam Alert News
-
Afghanistan
-
Albania
-
Algeria
-
Angola
-
Argentina
-
Armenia
-
Australia
-
Austria
-
Azerbaijan
-
Bahamas
-
Bahrain
-
Bangladesh
-
Belarus
-
Belgium
-
Bolivia
-
Botswana
-
Brazil
-
Brunei
-
Bulgaria
-
Cambodia
-
Cameroon
-
Canada
-
Chile
-
China
-
Colombia
-
Congo
-
Costa Rica
-
Cote d'Ivoire
-
Croatia
-
Cuba
-
Cyprus
-
Czechia
-
DR Congo
-
Denmark
-
Dominican Republic
-
Ecuador
-
Egypt
-
El Salvador
-
Estonia
-
Eswatini
-
Ethiopia
-
Finland
-
France
-
Georgia
-
Germany
-
Ghana
-
Greece
-
Haiti
-
Hong Kong
-
Hungary
-
India
-
Indonesia
-
Iran, Islamic republic
-
Iraq
-
Ireland
-
Israel
-
Italy
-
Jamaica
-
Japan
-
Jordan
-
Kazakhstan
-
Kenya
-
Korea
-
Kuwait
-
Kyrgyzstan
-
Laos
-
Latvia
-
Lebanon
-
Lesotho
-
Libya
-
Lithuania
-
Luxembourg
-
Madagascar
-
Malaysia
-
Malta
-
Mauritius
-
Mexico
-
Moldova
-
Mongolia
-
Montenegro
-
Morocco
-
Mozambique
-
Myanmar
-
Namibia
-
Nepal
-
Netherlands
-
New Zealand
-
Nigeria
-
North Macedonia
-
Norway
-
Oman
-
Pakistan
-
Palestine
-
Panama
-
Papua New Guinea
-
Paraguay
-
Peru
-
Philippines
-
Poland
-
Portugal
-
Puerto Rico
-
Qatar
-
Reunion
-
Romania
-
Rwanda
-
Saudi Arabia
-
Serbia
-
Singapore
-
Slovakia
-
Slovenia
-
Somalia
-
South Africa
-
Spain
-
Sri Lanka
-
Sweden
-
Switzerland
-
Syria
-
Taiwan
-
Tajikistan
-
Tanzania
-
Thailand
-
Trinidad and Tobago
-
Tunisia
-
Turkey
-
UAE
-
Uganda
-
Ukraine
-
United Kingdom
-
United States
-
Uruguay
-
Uzbekistan
-
Venezuela
-
Vietnam
-
Yemen
-
Zambia
-
Zimbabwe
- Forex
- Crypto
