Largest crypto seizure nails scam compounds

Updated: 2026.01.15 13D ago 3 sources
U.S. prosecutors unsealed charges against Cambodia tycoon Chen Zhi and seized roughly $15B in bitcoin tied to forced‑labor ‘pig‑butchering’ operations. The case elevates cyber‑fraud compounds from gang activity to alleged corporate‑state‑protected enterprise and shows DOJ can claw back massive on‑chain funds. — It sets a legal and operational precedent for tackling transnational crypto fraud and trafficking by pairing asset forfeiture at scale with corporate accountability.

Sources

One Big Question: Is Cryptocurrency a Scam?
Oren Cass 2026.01.15 60% relevant
A key reason the public labels crypto a 'scam' is high‑profile fraud and enforcement actions; the article’s tone and policy suggestion tie directly to documented large fraud investigations and asset seizures that make criminality a central public association with crypto.
Swiss Illegal Cryptocurrency Mixing Service Shut Down
BeauHD 2025.12.02 90% relevant
This article reports a cross‑border law‑enforcement seizure of a mixer and tens of millions in Bitcoin—directly parallels the cited precedent where prosecutors seized massive on‑chain funds from scam operations; both are examples of large‑scale asset forfeiture and show DOJ/Europol-style capability to trace and reclaim illicit crypto proceeds.
DOJ Seizes $15 Billion In Bitcoin From Massive 'Pig Butchering' Scam Based In Cambodia
BeauHD 2025.10.15 100% relevant
EDNY indictment of Chen Zhi (Prince Holding Group) and DOJ’s record $15B bitcoin seizure from associated wallets.
← Back to All Ideas