Bitcoin News

Story: US.US. authorities seize over $580 million in cryptocurrency

By James Thorp

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Prosecutor Jeanine Ferris Pirro has announced a massive seizure of cryptocurrencies linked to Asian scam networks.

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These criminal groups use Facebook, Instagram, and text messages to lure their American victims. They siphon nearly $10 billion annually in the U.S.

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Authorities call it "pig butchering" - scammers first build a relationship with their targets, then push them toward bogus crypto investments.

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These operations run from secured complexes in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. But there's an even darker side: some employees in these centers are victims of human trafficking,…

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The Strike Force is tracking the big players - organizers and money launderers moving funds through the blockchain.

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The team includes the Washington DC prosecutor's office, several divisions of the Department of Justice, plus the FBI, Secret Service, and IRS.

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The Department of Justice plans to continue targeting the infrastructure, financial channels, and leadership structures of these networks. No backing down.

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Crypto crime is surging - $154 billion last year according to Chainalysis, a 162% increase from 2023. Sanctioned entities largely drive this rise.

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Stablecoins account for 84% of illicit transaction volume. Logical, as they offer more stability for criminals.

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The Chainalysis report also highlights the expansion of Chinese money laundering networks offering "laundering as a service" - a complete infrastructure for criminals.

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Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized the operation's importance during a press conference on February 26.

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Chainalysis works closely with authorities to track illicit transactions. Their latest analysis reveals ultra-complex asset transfer patterns, often through unregulated exchanges…

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The Department of Justice is preparing new legislative measures to facilitate the seizure of digital assets.

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American victims lose an average of $146,000 per person according to the latest FBI data. Seniors make up 60% of the targets, often approached via dating apps like Tinder or…

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Several U.S. states are strengthening their anti-crypto fraud laws. California recently passed a law requiring exchanges to report suspicious transactions over $25,000.

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