The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia has successfully recovered nearly $1.7 million in cryptocurrency from fraudsters and is returning the funds to two victims who fell prey to an elaborate investment scam. The recovery, announced Friday, represents the latest victory in federal efforts to combat the surging tide of cryptocurrency fraud plaguing American consumers.
Federal authorities seized 420,740 USDT (Tether) and 1,249,996 BUSD (Binance USD) from three cryptocurrency wallets, all of which rounded to around $1.7 million. The United States Secret Service conducted the seizure before the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture complaint in federal court to clear title to the funds.
How the Scam Unfolded
According to court documents, perpetrators contacted one victim through a text message and another via social media, crafting messages that appeared accidental in an attempt to lower the defenses of their victims. After the victims responded to the initial outreach, the fraudsters built trust by maintaining communication with them. They then persuaded the victims to move conversations to encrypted chat applications.
Once rapport was established, the scammers introduced cryptocurrency investment opportunities through what appeared to be legitimate trading platforms. According to the information shared by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, "although the website mimicked a legitimate cryptocurrency investment platform, the spoofed site funneled the victims’ funds to the fraud perpetrators." The site also presented false information to the victims, making them believe they were making sizeable gains.
However, when victims attempted withdrawals, they encountered new demands. The fraudsters used other tactics to coerce the victims into sending more money, including informing them that they owed taxes and fees on their purported profits. At the end, "the perpetrators never let the victims withdraw anything more than trivial amounts and stole the victims’ money."
Following the thefts, the perpetrators laundered the proceeds through complex cryptocurrency transactions, converting one digital currency to another in attempts to obscure the money trail. Despite these efforts, Secret Service agents traced the funds and executed the seizures.
Broader Efforts to Combat Crypto Fraud
The Virginia recovery represents one of several recent successes by the Eastern District in combating cryptocurrency fraud. In August, the same office recovered $1.9 million for a victim ensnared in a similar scheme, while in March, there was a $7 million recovery involving more than 75 shell company bank accounts. Recoveries are being made across the United States and globally.
The Justice Department executed its largest-ever forfeiture in October, seizing approximately $15 billion in cryptocurrency linked to the Prince Group’s Cambodia-based operations. Earlier in June, authorities confiscated $225 million connected to pig butchering scams affecting more than 400 suspected victims worldwide.
Federal estimates suggest Americans lose billions annually to cryptocurrency investment fraud. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reportedly notified over 4,300 victims across the country as of January of this year, saving them an estimated $285 million. Disturbingly, 76% of those contacted were unaware they were being defrauded, according to federal data.