US Secret Service Has Seized $102M in Crypto Since 2015

The US Secret Service has seized more than $102 million worth of cryptocurrencies in 254 fraud-related investigations since 2015, according to statistics compiled by the agency. https://twitter.com/SecretService/status/1516495637323423753 Those cases involved Russian and North Korean cyber criminals along with a case collaborating with the Romanian National Police. Among the cases handled by the agency is an investigation that targeted about 900 victims across the United States. Handled alongside the Romanian National Police, the particular case involved a scheme that posted fake luxury items and ads on sales and auctions sites, then delivered fake invoices to their victims, to make it look like the transaction involved legitimate businesses. The perpetrators then converted their ill-gotten wealth into cryptocurrencies, which are part of the now seized funds. Another of the cases involved a Russian cybercrime syndicate that used a crypto exchange to launder funds, including involving Bitcoin ransomware payments to criminals in North Korea and Russia. All of these seizures have brought in the US government holding about $4 billion worth of Bitcoin, which makes it one of the largest holders of the flagship asset behind Grayscale and Microstrategy.