US hearing probes crypto fraud by global crime networks

A US House hearing examined how transnational criminal networks are using cryptocurrency, scams, and digital extortion to target Americans, highlighting the scale of global fraud operations.

The session, held by the House Homeland Security Committee, focused on findings from the FBI showing $16.6 billion in scam losses in 2024, including $5.8 billion tied to crypto investment fraud.

The hearing detailed how organised networks, including groups linked to Huione Group, processed tens of billions in illicit transactions, acting as financial infrastructure for scam operations.

Witnesses described increasingly sophisticated schemes such as “pig butchering,” where victims are manipulated over time before being directed to fraudulent crypto platforms.

Authorities have escalated enforcement, with more than $15 billion in illicit proceeds seized in 2025 and large-scale sanctions targeting networks like Prince Group.

Despite these efforts, jurisdictional challenges remain, as many operations are based in regions with limited law enforcement cooperation, complicating recovery and prosecution.

Lawmakers emphasised that crypto itself is not the root issue, instead framing it as a tool exploited by criminal networks, a distinction that could shape future regulation and policy decisions.