Key Facts

• Federal prosecutors filed five civil forfeiture complaints in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, seeking over $25 million in cryptocurrency linked to international romance and investment scams.
• Investigators linked the funds to more than 270 suspected investment scam transactions, over 200 romance scam victims, and several victims in the Washington area, tracing funds through hundreds of wallet addresses.
• The two largest cases involve $12.1 million tied to online romance schemes and $10.4 million linked to fraudulent investment platforms, with additional complaints seeking $1.23 million, $2.39 million, and $285,000.
• In one case, scammers cut off contact after a victim tried to withdraw money from what appeared to be a crypto investment account, while in another, fraudsters contacted someone who had already lost money and claimed they could recover it for a fee in a recovery scam.
• The cases are part of the Scam Center Strike Force, which has recovered over $800 million since its launch in November 2025.