US Moves to Seize $3.44M USDT Tied to Crypto Investment Scam

TheNewsCryptoPubblicato 2026-03-11Pubblicato ultima volta 2026-03-11

Introduzione

U.S. federal prosecutors have filed a civil forfeiture action to seize approximately $3.44 million in USDT linked to an online cryptocurrency investment scam. The scheme targeted victims across multiple states by establishing trust through mistaken text or encrypted app messages before promoting a fake Ethereum investment opportunity backed by physical gold. Victims were instructed to send ETH to scam-controlled wallets, where funds were converted to USDT and moved through intermediary addresses. The investigation began in late 2024 after reports from four victims. Authorities seized the USDT in early 2025 and are seeking permanent forfeiture. This case is part of broader efforts to recover crypto assets, including recent actions against romance scams.

The federal prosecutors of the United States have filed a civil forfeiture action to recoup around 3.44 million USDt associated with a claimed online crypto investment scam that targeted victims across various states.

As per the March 10 announcement from the US Attorney’s Office in Boston, the funds were associated with a scheme that convinced victims to send cryptocurrency to wallets managed by scammers.

Officials mentioned that they captured the USDt in February and March 2025 and are now asking a court to permit the permanent forfeiture of the assets. The prosecutors mentioned that in a fraud scheme like this, scammers get funds from victims using manipulative tactics.

It also added that they set up a level of trust with a victim and then lure the victim into investing in a fraudulent investment scheme. The investigation started in late 2024 after around four people reported losses, comprising two residents of Massachusetts and others in Utah and South Carolina.

Performing Scam after Gaining Trust

In this situation, the scammers first had a word with victims via messages that appeared to be sent by mistake, mostly via text messages or encrypted apps like WhatsApp and Telegram.

After making trust, the individuals allegedly pushed what they referred to as an exclusive Ethereum investment opportunity supported by physical gold. Victims are asked to buy Ether (ETH) and send it to wallets given by the perpetrators.

As per the release, court documents state that once the ETH reached those wallets, the funds were directed via intermediary addresses, changed intoUSDt, and shifted to unhosted wallets handled by the scammers.

The officials from the US have lately captured more crypto associated with fraud schemes. In one case, the US Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts filed a civil forfeiture action looking to recover around $327,829 in USDt, which the investigator mentioned was associated with a romance scam targeting a Massachusetts resident in 2024.

Highlighted Crypto News Today:

Cardano (ADA) Struggles for Stability: Is a Breakdown or Bounce Ahead?

Domande pertinenti

QWhat is the total value of USDT that U.S. federal prosecutors are seeking to seize in this case?

A$3.44 million USDT.

QHow did the scammers initially contact their victims according to the announcement?

AVia messages that appeared to be sent by mistake, mostly through text messages or encrypted apps like WhatsApp and Telegram.

QWhat type of fraudulent investment did the scammers promote to their victims?

AAn exclusive Ethereum investment opportunity that was backed by physical gold.

QWhat happened to the victims' Ether (ETH) after they sent it to the provided wallets?

AThe funds were directed through intermediary addresses, converted into USDT, and then transferred to unhosted wallets controlled by the scammers.

QWhen did the investigation into this scam begin and what prompted it?

AThe investigation began in late 2024 after approximately four people, including two residents of Massachusetts and others in Utah and South Carolina, reported losses.

Letture associate

Zcash Founder Says Anthropic AI Audit Found No Serious Protocol Bugs

Zcash founder Zooko Wilcox announced that an AI security audit of the Zcash protocol, conducted by Anthropic's Mythos model at the request of Shielded Labs, found no new serious bugs. This result provides a positive security headline for the privacy-focused cryptocurrency amidst ongoing regulatory and technical scrutiny. The audit highlights the growing use of AI-assisted tools in crypto security, though it is not a replacement for human review. The absence of major flaws supports confidence in the protocol's robustness, but developers emphasize that security hardening work continues. The story underscores a broader industry shift where infrastructure and security updates are becoming central to crypto market narratives.

bitcoinist1 h fa

Zcash Founder Says Anthropic AI Audit Found No Serious Protocol Bugs

bitcoinist1 h fa

Bitcoin To $400,000? Analyst Uses Gold Overlay To Make Bold 2026 Case

A social media analyst, Vivek Sen, has suggested Bitcoin could reach $400,000 in 2026 based on a chart overlay comparing its price structure to gold's historical breakout pattern. The claim, made via an X post, argues that if Bitcoin continues to mirror gold's past trajectory, a significant price surge is possible. However, the article notes this is a visual comparison and not a formal forecast or valuation model. The analysis highlights that Bitcoin and gold have different market characteristics, including size, liquidity, volatility, and investor bases. Bitcoin's price is also more influenced by factors like ETF flows, derivatives, and crypto-native leverage. For the $400,000 scenario to materialize, the article suggests sustained institutional inflows, supportive macro conditions, and a strong ongoing uptrend would be necessary. Ultimately, the report frames the $400,000 target as a speculative, bullish scenario rather than a base-case prediction. It concludes that while the gold overlay provides an interesting framework, its relevance depends on real-world market confirmation through price action and demand signals.

bitcoinist2 h fa

Bitcoin To $400,000? Analyst Uses Gold Overlay To Make Bold 2026 Case

bitcoinist2 h fa

Bitcoin Halving Clock Points To Bottoming Phase, But Cycle Signal Needs Caution

Crypto analyst Crypto Rover claims Bitcoin is currently in a post-halving "bottoming phase," based on a historical cycle chart suggesting repeatable market rhythms. However, the analysis is flagged as speculative trader commentary, not a confirmed signal. The article cautions that halving-cycle models are less reliable in today's more mature, institutional market influenced by ETFs, derivatives, and macro factors. While such narratives can shape trader sentiment, actual confirmation of a bottom requires support from price action, liquidity, on-chain data, and broader risk appetite. The key takeaway is to view the cycle argument as an interesting framework, not a trade signal, until Bitcoin demonstrates it can hold key support levels and build a stronger price structure.

bitcoinist4 h fa

Bitcoin Halving Clock Points To Bottoming Phase, But Cycle Signal Needs Caution

bitcoinist4 h fa

Bitcoin Trader Says Cycle Tops And Bottoms Match Exact Day Counts

A Bitcoin trader claims to have discovered a remarkably precise timing pattern in Bitcoin's market cycles, suggesting they repeat to the exact day. According to the trader, bull-market runs from cycle low to high in the 2014-2017, 2018-2021, and 2022-2025 periods each lasted precisely 1,064 days. Similarly, bear-market declines from peak to trough in 2017-2018 and 2021-2022 allegedly lasted exactly 364 days. Such a pattern would offer traders a simple, calendar-based framework for anticipating market turns. However, the article highlights significant risks with such exact-cycle claims, noting they can depend heavily on cherry-picking specific price peaks and troughs to fit the narrative. Factors like Bitcoin halvings, macro conditions, and investor psychology influence markets but don't guarantee perfect day-count windows. Despite the skepticism warranted towards precise date predictions, cycle theories remain powerful narratives in crypto. They provide traders with a story to frame market uncertainty and timing decisions, especially during periods of consolidation. The takeaway is that while these patterns are interesting as social-market commentary, they should not be relied upon alone for making concrete price predictions.

bitcoinist7 h fa

Bitcoin Trader Says Cycle Tops And Bottoms Match Exact Day Counts

bitcoinist7 h fa

$9.4 Billion: The Largest Robotics Funding This Year Has Emerged

Munich-based humanoid robotics company Neura has completed a $1.4 billion (approximately RMB 94.9 billion) Series C funding round, valuing the company at around $7 billion and positioning it among the global leaders in the sector. The investment round is notable not just for its size—reportedly the largest in robotics this year—but also for its strategic backers, which include tech giants like NVIDIA and Amazon, alongside established industrial players such as German engineering firms Bosch and Schaeffler. This mix of investors signals a significant shift in the industry's focus from technological demonstrations and general-purpose narratives toward practical, industrial deployment and commercialization. Neura's approach centers on developing humanoid robots for defined, high-value industrial tasks rather than pursuing a general-purpose model. Its early validation comes from a partnership with BMW, where its robots are being tested on actual production lines. The involvement of Bosch and Schaeffler, companies deeply embedded in global manufacturing, underscores a growing belief that humanoid robots are transitioning from labs to viable factory-floor solutions. The article highlights two converging trends driving investment: advancements in AI and large language models, which enhance robots' perception and decision-making in unstructured environments, and mounting pressure from labor shortages and rising costs in major manufacturing regions. The funding landscape is now bifurcating between companies like Figure AI, focusing on versatile general-purpose robots, and firms like Neura, targeting specific vertical industrial applications with clearer, shorter paths to ROI. While technical hurdles remain, the core challenges for widespread adoption are increasingly seen as engineering and commercial in nature: managing the high integration and customization costs for different factory environments and establishing robust, localized maintenance and service networks. The record investment in Neura, particularly from industrial capital, indicates the industry's growing confidence in moving from proving feasibility to solving the practical problems of scalability, reliability, and building sustainable business models around humanoid robots in real-world settings like automotive manufacturing and hazardous labor environments.

marsbit12 h fa

$9.4 Billion: The Largest Robotics Funding This Year Has Emerged

marsbit12 h fa

Trading

Spot

Futures