The US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the seizure of over $225 million in cryptocurrency linked to fraudulent investment schemes known as pig butchering. The DOJ filed a civil forfeiture complaint against these assets, which involved money laundering from victims of scams. Interim US Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, stated that the goal is to return the funds to the more than 400 victims who lost millions. The complaint highlighted that the seized cryptocurrency was associated with scams where victims were manipulated into sending increasing amounts over time. Additionally, the DOJ's announcement coincided with New York officials freezing another $300,000 related to a different crypto investment fraud that had over 300 victims. In a related report, the FBI noted that such scams led to over $5.8 billion in losses for Americans in 2024.

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