GoCheckMyCrypto.comU.S. Seeks Forfeiture of $25 Million in Crypto Tied to Romance and Investment Scams
Federal prosecutors filed five civil forfeiture complaints seeking more than $25 million in cryptocurrency linked to international romance and investment scams, according to CoinDesk reporting. The cases stem from Secret Service investigations and are part of the Scam Center Strike Force, which has recovered over $800 million since launching in November 2025. Agents traced funds through hundreds of wallet addresses tied to more than 270 suspected investment scam transactions and identified over 200 romance scam victims.
Federal prosecutors filed five civil forfeiture complaints seeking more than $25 million in cryptocurrency tied to international romance and investment scams, according to CoinDesk reporting. The complaints, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, stem from separate Secret Service investigations targeting organized fraud networks that have victimized hundreds across multiple states.
The two largest cases seek approximately $12.1 million linked to online romance schemes and $10.4 million associated with fraudulent investment platforms. Three additional complaints seek roughly $1.23 million, $2.39 million, and $285,000 respectively. Secret Service agents traced the funds through hundreds of wallet addresses and froze cryptocurrency linked to more than 270 suspected investment scam transactions, per the reporting.
Investigations identified more than 200 romance scam victims and several victims in the Washington area. In one case detailed in the filings, scammers severed contact after a victim attempted to withdraw funds from what appeared to be a legitimate crypto investment account. In another instance, fraudsters targeted someone who had already suffered losses, claiming they could recover the money for a fee (a recovery scam approach that exploits prior victims' desperation).
These five cases are part of the Scam Center Strike Force, which launched in November 2025 as a coordinated federal task force. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Strike Force has recovered more than $800 million to date. The cases demonstrate law enforcement's ability to map crypto flows across multiple addresses and wallets, connecting dispersed transactions to organized scam infrastructure.
Civil forfeiture complaints, however, do not guarantee seizure: funds must survive legal challenge and law enforcement must successfully locate and secure the assets. The filings do not address the timeline for resolution or indicate whether any funds have already been frozen. Additionally, recovery scams themselves are proliferating, suggesting that scammers are adapting their tactics faster than enforcement can disrupt them. The brief does not quantify what fraction of total crypto scam losses these $800 million in recoveries represent, leaving the true scale of ongoing victim harm understated.
Federal prosecutors filed five civil forfeiture complaints seeking more than $25 million in cryptocurrency tied to romance and investment scams, with the two largest cases involving $12.1 million in online romance fraud proceeds and $10.4 million linked to fraudulent investment platforms.
Watch for resolution timelines in these five forfeiture cases and whether the Scam Center Strike Force publishes data on the ratio of romance scams to investment fraud in its caseload. The $800 million recovery figure is substantial, but it only becomes meaningful if law enforcement can demonstrate it is outpacing new scam losses in real time. Scam victim numbers continuing to rise despite enforcement activity would suggest the crackdown is not yet closing the gap.
And that's the way it is.
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