U.S. Justice Department seeks forfeiture of $25 million in crypto tied to fraud probes

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The U.S. Justice Department seeks forfeiture of $25 million in cryptocurrency tied to five fraud probes involving thousands of alleged global victims.
Individual investigations target $10.4 million from Canadian-flagged scams, $12.1 million from online romance schemes, $2.4 million and $1.2 million from National Capital Region frauds, and $285,000 from recovery schemes.
The Scam Center Strike Force, launched in November 2025, now totals over $800 million in recoveries, intensifying enforcement against Southeast Asia-based crypto laundering networks.

Five investigations underpin seizure effort

As reported by The Block, citing the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, Secret Service agents in the Washington Field Office, working through the Cyber Fraud Task Force, identified multiple laundering networks and thousands of alleged victims worldwide who were led to believe they were making legitimate crypto investments.

The first investigation, flagged by Canadian authorities in late 2024, traced more than 270 suspected victim transactions and seeks about $10.4 million. The second case, tied to online romance schemes affecting more than 200 victims, seeks approximately $12.1 million.

The third and fourth investigations, reported by victims in the National Capital Region in March 2026 and May 2026, seek about $2.4 million and $1.2 million respectively. A fifth case involving fee-based recovery fraud seeks roughly $285,000.

Scam Center Strike Force expands recovery totals

Prosecutors say launderers in all five cases are predominantly located in Southeast Asia, with IP addresses in China, Malaysia and Cambodia. The funds now sought are the latest additions to more than $800 million recovered under the Scam Center Strike Force, an initiative launched in November 2025 by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

Pirro says the seizure reflects a strategy of targeting international fraud networks by disrupting complex laundering channels and recovering assets for victims. The action highlights continued U.S. enforcement pressure on cross-border crypto-enabled scams affecting North American consumers.

In our earlier article on the U.S. reaffirming its long-term commitment to Southeast Asia at the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference, we outlined Washington’s new mix of strategic investment and security support for ASEAN members. We detailed plans for $2.5 billion in government-backed investments, additional Development Finance Corporation funding for infrastructure and energy security, and targeted assistance such as demining and power-grid initiatives—steps that underscore the region’s rising importance in U.S. policy.

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