Major Firms and Law Enforcement Freeze Over $3.8 Million in Stolen Crypto
More than $3.8 million in cryptocurrency stolen from Americans has been frozen through a collaborative effort involving major technology companies and law enforcement agencies. The initiative, spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Justice, saw firms such as Coinbase, SpaceX, Meta, and Apple working alongside American and international law enforcement.
“Disruption Week” Targets Southeast Asian Crime Rings
The U.S. Department of Justice’s “Disruption Week” initiative brought together private sector companies and government agencies to combat organized crime entities operating in Southeast Asia.
“Cyber-enabled and crypto investment fraud is devastating Main Street Americans, wiping out life savings and preying on some of our most vulnerable citizens,” stated U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro. “We will not allow transnational scammers or the Chinese organized crime groups behind them to use America’s internet infrastructure against us or let U.S. companies stand idly by.”
Private Sector Collaboration Crucial to Success
During the operation, which also included participation from Google, Meta, and Microsoft, private sector firms voluntarily took action to disrupt millions of social media, email, and internet access accounts utilized by criminal actors. Leveraging information provided by the government, these companies were then able to freeze the illicit funds.
“Disruption Week shows what is possible when governments and private industry focus their efforts in tandem: millions of scam accounts interrupted, and criminal networks pushed off the U.S. internet platforms on which they rely,” Pirro added.
“Scam Center Strike Force” Meeting Yields Significant Results
The “Scam Center Strike Force” convened in Washington D.C. from May 18-21. During this meeting, intelligence was shared, leading to the freezing of over $3.8 million in funds, the disruption of more than 1.4 million social media and email accounts, and the identification of scammers. Seven individuals were arrested in Thailand as part of this operation.
“One of the best tools we have in combatting these illicit actors is our partnerships, and they are only getting stronger,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We’re preventing further victimization by working with other agencies, our foreign law enforcement counterparts, and the private sector, all of whom have taken part in this Disruption Week.”
Growing Threat of Crypto Fraud
Last year, the FBI’s Internet Crime Report indicated that Americans lost nearly $11.4 billion to cryptocurrency fraud in 2025, representing a 22% increase from the previous year.
Earlier this year, cryptocurrency firms including Coinbase, Kraken, and Binance collaborated with authorities in the U.S. and U.K. to flag approximately $45 million in funds associated with crypto fraud, successfully freezing $12 million of that amount.
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