Alexandria, Virginia – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced that $1,971,399.80 in fraud proceeds and property tied to money laundering has been successfully recovered through civil asset forfeiture. Federal officials confirmed that the funds, linked to an elaborate cryptocurrency scam, are now cleared for return to the victim.
According to court documents, the scam began when perpetrators reached out to the victim with an unsolicited text message referencing a visit to Central Park. This initial contact led to prolonged communication designed to build trust. The fraudsters then encouraged the victim to “invest” in cryptocurrency using a fraudulent website disguised to resemble a legitimate investment platform.
The site falsely reported significant profits, luring the victim to continue investing. But when the victim attempted to withdraw their funds, the perpetrators introduced new obstacles, claiming the victim owed taxes on their “profits” and coercing them to send even more money. Despite repeated attempts, the victim was never allowed to withdraw their funds, which were ultimately stolen.
Complex Money Laundering Scheme Unraveled
After stealing the funds, the perpetrators quickly laundered the money. They carried out a series of complex transactions, including rapid exchanges between different cryptocurrencies, to disguise the origins of the stolen assets…