Federal prosecutors filed five civil forfeiture complaints on July 21 seeking roughly $26.4 million in cryptocurrency linked to international romance and investment scams. The actions form part of the Scam Center Strike Force, which has recovered more than $800 million overall.
U.S. prosecutors filed the complaints in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. They trace funds through hundreds of wallet addresses connected to more than 270 suspected investment scam transactions and more than 200 romance scam victims.
The two largest cases target about $12.1 million from romance schemes and $10.4 million from fraudulent investment platforms. Three smaller complaints seek $1.23 million, $2.39 million and $285,000 respectively.
Investigators linked the launderers mainly to Southeast Asia, with associated IP addresses in China, Malaysia and Cambodia. One case involved scammers contacting a prior fraud victim in a recovery scheme.
The Scam Center Strike Force, launched in November 2025, reported the total recoveries. Courts must still decide on forfeiture and any eventual restitution to victims.
