U.S. authorities are seeking the forfeiture of more than $25 million in cryptocurrency that prosecutors allege was tied to romance and investment scams, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said its investigations into cryptocurrency scams resulted in the seizure of more than $25 million in digital assets. Forfeiture is a legal process through which the government moves to permanently take ownership of property it alleges are the proceeds of, or were used to facilitate, criminal activity. For related coverage, see Best Perpetual Crypto Exchanges in 2026: CEX and DEX Compared.
Because forfeiture is a claim against the assets themselves rather than a criminal conviction, the funds remain the subject of alleged, not proven, wrongdoing until the case is resolved. For related coverage, see Warren Calls on Trump to Disclose Crypto Earnings Before Senate Vote.
How romance and investment scams route money into crypto
Romance scams typically involve a fraudster building a fake relationship with a victim online, then using that trust to solicit money. Investment scams pitch fabricated high-return opportunities, often steering targets toward platforms the scammer controls. For related coverage, see Crypto Billionaires and Vote Buying: How Wealth Shapes Blockchain Power.
Cryptocurrency is frequently the payment channel in both schemes because transfers settle quickly, cross borders without a bank intermediary, and can be moved through multiple wallets to complicate tracing. The two categories often overlap in "pig butchering" fraud, where a romance approach leads a victim into a bogus crypto investment.
The scale of these losses is documented at the federal level. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center detailed the growing financial toll of investment and confidence fraud in its 2025 annual report, which tracks complaints and reported losses across fraud categories including those involving cryptocurrency.
The threat environment around crypto users extends beyond social engineering. Security researchers have separately documented technical attacks, such as a malware framework targeting crypto investors, that aim to compromise wallets directly.
Why a seizure of this size matters for crypto users
A multimillion-dollar forfeiture action signals that law enforcement is actively tracing scam proceeds on-chain and moving to recover them, part of a broader push against fraud networks reflected in efforts like the Justice Department's Scam Center Strike Force.
For everyday holders, the case is a reminder that transaction speed and pseudonymity cut both ways: the same properties scammers exploit also leave a permanent public record investigators can follow. Keeping careful records and using reputable tools, such as established crypto portfolio trackers, can help users spot and document suspicious activity early.
Enforcement visibility does not implicate the broader industry. The forfeiture targets assets allegedly connected to specific criminal conduct, and the legitimate exchanges, custodians, and platforms that make up the crypto sector are not the subject of the action.
The Justice Department has not, in the material reviewed here, disclosed the identities of specific defendants or a case schedule, so the timeline for resolving the forfeiture remains open.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency and digital asset markets carry significant risk. Always do your own research before making decisions.