# DOJ seeks to seize over $25 million in crypto tied to romance scams

**Published:** 2026-07-22T19:24:33.690Z  
**Topic:** Crypto Scam  
**Sentiment:** neutral  
**Publisher:** TrendWatcher — https://www.trendwatcher.in/article/d1812fcc-6e2f-40ec-ac5d-f06e1c6383be

DOJ files forfeiture complaints for $25 million in crypto linked to romance and investment scams, highlighting growing enforcement against crypto fraud.

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed five civil forfeiture complaints seeking more than **$25 million** in cryptocurrency alleged to be tied to international romance and investment scams that victimized hundreds in the United States and Canada【1】.  

| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Amount sought | > $25 million |
| Largest complaint | $12.1 million (romance scheme) |
| Victims referenced | > 200 (romance) + > 270 (investment) |
| Related enforcement | Operation First Light 2026 (global anti‑scam effort) |

## Scope of the forfeiture complaints  
The complaints, announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, detail three major streams of illicit crypto. The biggest case targets **$12.1 million** linked to a romance “pig‑butchering” operation that defrauded more than 200 victims, with funds routed through intermediary wallets and mixed with other stolen assets【1】. A second complaint follows **$10.4 million** tied to over 270 suspected victim transactions, while three smaller cases involve fake investment accounts and a secondary scam promising to recover previously stolen funds【1】.  

## International context and prior seizures  
The DOJ action follows a recent Interpol‑coordinated sweep, Operation First Light 2026, which spanned 97 jurisdictions, resulted in 5,811 arrests and intercepted **$283 million** in illicit assets【1】. Thai authorities uncovered a laundering network that moved **$122.5 million** in crypto over ten months, illustrating the scale of cross‑chain token swaps used to hide proceeds【1】. Earlier this year, federal agents seized **over $61 million** in USDT stablecoin from addresses linked to fraudulent investment platforms, underscoring a pattern of law‑enforcement focus on crypto‑enabled scams【1】.  

## Related smaller case: $222 k forfeiture in Alabama  
A separate federal complaint from Alabama details a single victim who lost his life savings in a “pig‑butchering” scam. Prosecutors tracked **$222,000** in USDT through multiple wallets and exchanges before securing a seizure under a federal warrant【2】. This case mirrors the larger DOJ actions, showing that both high‑value and smaller‑scale scams are being pursued.  

## What to watch  
- **Further asset freezes** – Additional forfeiture motions may follow as investigators trace more wallet addresses linked to the identified laundering networks.  
- **Legal outcomes** – Court rulings on ownership and due‑process claims could set precedents for how crypto assets are treated in civil forfeiture cases.  
- **International cooperation** – Ongoing collaboration with Interpol and Southeast Asian authorities may lead to more cross‑border seizures and arrests.  

These filings signal a maturing enforcement approach that leverages blockchain analytics to disrupt crypto‑facilitated fraud. The outcomes will clarify the legal boundaries for asset recovery in decentralized finance and may influence future international anti‑scam operations.

## Sources
1. Cointelegraph — [US seeks forfeiture of $25M in crypto tied to romance, investment scams](https://cointelegraph.com/news/doj-25m-crypto-forfeiture-romance-investment-scams)
2. Waff — [Florence man loses life savings in ‘pig butchering’ crypto scam, feds...](https://www.waff.com/2026/06/26/florence-man-loses-life-savings-pig-butchering-crypto-scam-feds-move-forfeit-222k/)
3. Gizmodo — [Authorities Shutter Sprawling Dark Web Drug Bazaar and Seize $25...](https://gizmodo.com/hydra-darknet-market-shuttered-25-million-in-bitcoin-1848752281)
4. Bitcoinworld — [U.S. DOJ Moves To Seize $25 Million In Cryptocurrency Linked To...](https://bitcoinworld.co.in/doj-seeks-forfeiture-25-million-crypto-fraud/)

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Cite as: TrendWatcher, "DOJ seeks to seize over $25 million in crypto tied to romance scams", https://www.trendwatcher.in/article/d1812fcc-6e2f-40ec-ac5d-f06e1c6383be