US DOJ seizes $25M in crypto tied to romance and investment scams

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) says prosecutors have filed five civil forfeiture complaints seeking more than $25 million in cryptocurrency tied to international romance and investment scams targeting victims in the US and Canada. The DOJ’s US Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C., working with the Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, traced proceeds through hundreds of intermediary crypto wallet addresses where stolen funds were commingled. The largest complaint targets about $12.1 million linked to romance scams affecting 200+ victims. Another case seeks roughly $10.4 million flagged by Canadian authorities, covering 270+ suspected scam-related victim transactions. Three smaller complaints add about $285,000 to $2.39 million each, including a “recovery scam” where fraudsters posed as agents to demand fees to reclaim lost funds. Prosecutors allege laundering operators were largely based in Southeast Asia, with IP activity connected to China, Malaysia and Cambodia. The actions build on the DOJ-led “Scam Center Strike Force” launched in November 2025, which the government says has recovered more than $800 million. For traders, the immediate market impact on major crypto prices is likely limited, but the enforcement signal matters for exchange compliance and scam-related risk management—especially for projects and venues with weaker controls around wallet flows and customer due diligence.