Albany, NY (WRGB) — The United States Attorney’s Office has filed a civil forfeiture complaint against more than $12 million in Tether cryptocurrency linked to a fraudulent investment scheme. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office for the FBI.
According to the complaint, the FBI identified 10 female Mandarin-speaking victims who collectively lost over $10.3 million in the scheme. The perpetrators initiated unsolicited text conversations with the victims, persuading them to invest large sums through a fraudulent website, ShakepayEX, which mimicked a Canadian cryptocurrency exchange. When the victims attempted to withdraw their funds, they encountered excuses and fraudulent demands.
Acting United States Attorney Sarcone said,…