TLDR
- Federal prosecutors in Boston have initiated a civil forfeiture proceeding to reclaim $327,829 worth of Tether (USDT) connected to a romance fraud operation
- An individual from Massachusetts became a target in 2024 through contact with someone identifying as “Linda Brown” on a dating platform
- The individual was deceived into transferring money under the pretense of participating in a cryptocurrency investment scheme
- Law enforcement tracked the stolen assets across several cryptocurrency wallets before their conversion into USDT
- Since 2023, Tether has immobilized approximately $4.2 billion in USDT associated with alleged criminal operations
Federal authorities in Boston have launched legal proceedings to reclaim $327,829 worth of Tether following a dating application fraud scheme that victimized a Massachusetts citizen.
On Monday, the US Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts submitted a civil forfeiture complaint seeking to confiscate 327,829.720952 USDT. The legal action focuses on a suspected romance fraud operation that originated in 2024.
The fraudulent scheme featured an individual operating under the alias “Linda Brown,” who made initial contact with the Massachusetts victim via a dating application. Following multiple weeks of online interaction, Brown presented what appeared to be a lucrative cryptocurrency investment prospect.
Believing the opportunity to be genuine, the victim transferred funds. However, upon attempting to access and withdraw their investment, they discovered the entire operation was fraudulent.
“Under the guise of legitimately investing the victim’s money, Brown instead tricked the victim into sending funds to wallets controlled by Brown and/or their co-conspirators,” the attorney’s office said.
According to law enforcement officials, the misappropriated funds underwent transfers across numerous cryptocurrency wallets. Subsequently, the money was exchanged for USDT and incorporated into money-laundering operations.
The Department of Justice indicated that portions of the victim’s assets were successfully tracked to several unhosted cryptocurrency wallets, which authorities confiscated in August 2025.
Romance Scams and Crypto Fraud on the Rise
This incident represents one example within a growing trend of romance-based cryptocurrency fraud schemes. In anticipation of Valentine’s Day this year, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Ohio released an advisory entitled “Cupid Doesn’t Ask for Crypto.”
Federal prosecutors cautioned that fraudsters exploit social media platforms and messaging applications to cultivate relationships before soliciting financial transfers. These operations are frequently referred to as “pig butchering” scams.
The Federal Trade Commission has documented over $1 billion in losses attributed to romance scams during a single year. The FBI has classified crypto-related investment fraud as the category generating the highest financial losses.
Tether’s Role in Freezing Illicit Funds
Tether possesses the capability to immobilize its stablecoin through blacklisting specific wallet addresses. The organization has employed this mechanism in situations identified by law enforcement agencies.
During February, Tether immobilized approximately $544 million purportedly connected to illegal gambling operations and money laundering following a request from Turkish law enforcement.
A Tether representative informed Reuters that the organization has frozen roughly $4.2 billion in USDT linked to suspected criminal activities since 2023.
The civil forfeiture filing contends that all cryptocurrency held within the confiscated wallets constituted property utilized in money laundering activities.
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