$25M Crypto Seizure Targets Elaborate US-Canada Fraud Networks
US federal prosecutors have filed civil forfeiture complaints against over $25 million in cryptocurrency linked to five fraud networks operating across the US and Canada. The money was laundered through complex schemes, with agents tracing it back to its illicit origins.
The largest case involves a network that targeted victims with at least 270 transactions, resulting in a sought-after sum of approximately $10.4 million. Another investigation focused on online romance scams, where victims were swindled out of more than $12.1 million through fake personal relationships and cryptocurrency investments.
Two additional probes originated closer to home, with one seeking $2.4 million from victims in the National Capital Region who reported losses in March 2026, and another aiming for $1.2 million from similar cases in May 2026. A fifth case targets a fee-based recovery fraud scheme that preyed on existing scam victims.
The Scam Center Strike Force, launched by US Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro in November 2025, is behind the filings. The initiative has already led to over $800 million in total recoveries, with this latest seizure expected to contribute significantly to that tally.