DOJ seeks $25M crypto forfeiture

• The US Department of Justice filed to seize more than US$25 million in cryptocurrency linked to fraud.
• The funds were tied to alleged romance and fake cryptocurrency investment scams.
• The DOJ said it will continue investigating the fraud networks behind the schemes.

The US Department of Justice filed five civil forfeiture complaints seeking more than US$25 million in cryptocurrency linked to alleged romance and investment scams.

Investigators said the cases involved victims in the United States and other countries who lost money through fake cryptocurrency platforms.

"This $25 million seizure is a direct result of the Scam Center Strike Force I launched in November 2025, and it demonstrates the power of aggressively targeting these international fraud networks," said US Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

The DOJ said the complaints cover about US$10.4 million, US$12.1 million, US$1.2 million, US$2.4 million and US$285,000 seized during separate investigations.

The DOJ said the investigations are continuing, while there was no share price reaction because the announcement did not involve a publicly listed company.

Investigators said the schemes included fake cryptocurrency investments, romance scams and recovery scams that convinced victims to transfer digital assets.

The DOJ said many of the alleged money laundering networks operated from Southeast Asia and that efforts to identify those involved are continuing.