U.S. Seeks Forfeiture of $25 Million in Crypto Linked to Scams
Federal prosecutors filed five civil forfeiture cases aiming to recover over $25 million in cryptocurrency linked to romance and investment scams, according to CoinDesk. This initiative is part of a broader effort by the U.S. federal scam task force, which has already recovered over $800 million in fraud-related funds.
On July 22, 2026, federal prosecutors in the U.S. initiated five civil forfeiture cases seeking more than $25 million in cryptocurrency. The funds are allegedly connected to international romance and investment scams that targeted victims both in the United States and Canada.
The complaints were filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and emerged from ongoing investigations by the U.S. Secret Service. Investigators traced the cryptocurrency through numerous wallet addresses and identified links to over 270 suspected investment scam transactions, as well as more than 200 victims of romance scams, particularly in the Washington area.
The two most significant cases involve approximately $12.1 million associated with romance scams and $10.4 million linked to fraudulent investment platforms. The remaining three complaints focus on amounts of roughly $1.23 million, $2.39 million, and $285,000. Some victims reportedly lost contact with the fraudsters after attempting to withdraw their funds from what seemed to be legitimate crypto investment accounts, while others fell victim to recovery scams, where they were promised refunds for a fee.
This enforcement action is part of the Scam Center Strike Force, which launched in November 2025. The task force has claimed to recover over $800 million in fraudulent assets to date, illustrating a significant ongoing effort to combat cyber fraud and scams involving cryptocurrencies.
Summary based on original reporting by Francisco Rodrigues at CoinDesk, originally published Jul 22, 2026. SolanaWire does not republish source content.
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