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Featured AnalysisPrimary topicBitcoin

U.S. Strike Force Seizes and Freezes $580M in Crypto Linked to Pig‑Butchering Scams

Authorities say the assets were traced to Southeast Asian scam compounds and Chinese transnational criminal networks.

42m agoFeb 27, 2026, 4:34 PMNewsroom AI

U.S. authorities announced that more than $580 million in cryptocurrency has been seized or frozen as part of an operation targeting global fraud networks, according to Department of Justice statements and press coverage of the action [2][1][3][4].

Officials said the seizures focused on networks operating “pig butchering” romance-and-investment scams run from compounds in Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia and Laos, with links to transnational Chinese crime groups, per reporting and DOJ materials [1][2].

The operation was carried out by a Justice Department strike force described as the DC Scam Center Strike Force; law enforcement agencies reported both asset freezes and forfeiture actions as part of the coordinated enforcement effort [2][4].

Authorities characterized the action as a significant disruption of organized crypto-enabled fraud and emphasized the role of international cooperation in pursuing such networks [4].

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