Fugitive sentenced to 20 years for $73 million crypto scam
U.S. court convicts and sentences Daren Li for running a global ‘pig-butchering’ scheme that stole at least $73 million.
A U.S. federal judge sentenced Daren Li to 20 years in prison after finding him responsible for a cryptocurrency fraud that stole at least $73 million from victims worldwide [1][3].
Prosecutors said Li cut off an ankle monitor and fled supervision in December 2025; the sentence was handed down in absentia after he escaped supervision, according to court filings and reporting [2][3].
Authorities say the scheme operated from compounds in Cambodia and used social media and dating apps to groom and defraud victims in a so-called ‘pig-butchering’ operation that yielded the multi‑million‑dollar haul [1].
Li remains at large following his reported escape from electronic monitoring, and the sentence was imposed despite his absence from the proceedings [2][3].
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Citations
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- 1Fugitive foreigner sentenced in the U.S. to 20 years for $73 million crypto scamCoinDesk• Feb 10, 2026
- 2US Sentences Fugitive to 20 Years Over $73 Million Crypto ScamDecrypt• Feb 10, 2026
- 3Crypto scammer handed 20-year sentence for $73 million fraudCryptopolitan• Feb 10, 2026
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