Florida’s Cyber Fraud Enforcement Unit (CFEU) tracked down and returned $229,096 in stolen cryptocurrency to victims over the past week, according to an announcement by Attorney General James Uthmeier. The clawed-back funds stemmed from a series of elaborate digital traps, including fake investment apps, tech support spoofs, and romance scams.
“Cyber criminals are often targeting our most vulnerable populations, including seniors,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “My Cyber Fraud Enforcement Unit is setting the standard for cryptocurrency fraud recovery nationwide. We continue to partner with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to maximize all available resources, recover stolen funds, and return as much as possible to the victims.”
The single largest recovery came out of Sarasota County, where a 69-year-old man received $139,400 in restitution. The victim originally contacted the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office in October 2025 after a phone scammer posing as a legitimate crypto advisor talked him into sending more than $970,000 to a fraudulent investment app. The app displayed fake metrics showing his balance had ballooned past $3.2 million. When the man tried to withdraw his money, the fraudsters demanded an additional $325,000 upfront to release the cash, prompting him to call the police…