TLDR
Scammers stole $250K USDT using a spoofed Trump-Vance email domain.
DOJ traced the funds across wallets and recovered $40,300 in USDT.
Tether froze the stolen crypto, aiding the DOJ in asset recovery.
Trump’s campaign accepts crypto, including USDT, BTC, ETH, and DOGE.
Federal prosecutors in the United States have recovered $40,300 in cryptocurrency stolen through an email scam impersonating officials from the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee. The Department of Justice (DOJ) credited Tether for helping law enforcement freeze and retrieve the stolen digital assets.
Scam Impersonates Trump-Vance Committee Using Email Spoofing
According to a complaint filed by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, the fraud began with a deceptive email sent on December 24, 2024. The scammers used an email address that appeared to be from Steve Witkoff, who served as co-chair of the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee.
The fake domain used in the email—@t47lnaugural.com—substituted a lowercase “l” with the number “1” to mimic the official address. This subtle change misled the recipient into believing the email was authentic. The victim, thinking the request was genuine, sent $250,300 worth of Tether (USDT) on the Ethereum blockchain to a wallet controlled by the attackers.
Funds Laundered Through Multiple Wallets Before Recovery
Once the funds were received, the scammers quickly transferred them across several cryptocurrency wallets to obscure the transaction path. Blockchain tracing tools enabled federal agents to follow the trail despite the movement of funds across multiple addresses.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was able to trace and recover $40,300 worth of the stolen cryptocurrency. The DOJ has since filed a civil forfeiture action to return the recovered funds to the victim.
“Impersonation scams take many forms and cost Americans billions in losses each year,” said FBI Washington Field Office Assistant Director Steven Jensen. He added that the public should always double-check email sender addresses and avoid sending digital assets to unknown contacts.
DOJ Credits Tether for Its Role in Seizing Funds
The DOJ acknowledged Tether’s cooperation in freezing and transferring the stolen funds. Tether, the issuer of the USDT stablecoin, worked with law enforcement to restrict access to the stolen assets once traced.
This is not the first time Tether has worked with authorities. In June, the DOJ reported that Tether helped in seizing $225 million in USDT linked to a global scam operation known as a “pig butchering” scheme. The company’s ability to freeze assets issued on its platform has made it a recurring partner in crypto-related investigations.
A DOJ spokesperson said,
“The successful recovery of funds was made possible by swift coordination between law enforcement and private-sector actors like Tether.”
Crypto Donations and Broader Context of Crypto-Related Scams
Donald Trump had previously announced in May 2024 that his campaign would accept cryptocurrency donations. The official fundraising platform supports several digital currencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), XRP, Dogecoin (DOGE), and Tether (USDT).
The DOJ and FBI continue to warn the public about crypto scams that exploit emerging technologies and impersonate public figures. In a separate case earlier this year, the DOJ filed a civil forfeiture to seize over $24 million in cryptocurrency linked to Russian national Rustam Gallyamov, accused of spreading the Qakbot malware.
Law enforcement agencies are urging users to stay cautious when dealing with financial requests online, especially those involving cryptocurrency transfers. They also recommend checking URLs, verifying identities, and avoiding transactions with unknown individuals or unverified organizations.
The public is advised to report suspicious activity to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and avoid transferring digital funds based on email instructions without further confirmation.
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