TLDR
- Boston federal prosecutors initiated civil forfeiture proceedings to reclaim $327,829 in Tether (USDT) connected to a romance fraud operation
- A dating app user from Massachusetts became the target of someone operating under the alias “Linda Brown” during 2024
- The perpetrator deceived the victim into transferring money by presenting a fraudulent cryptocurrency investment scheme
- Law enforcement tracked the misappropriated assets across several cryptocurrency wallets before their conversion to USDT
- Since 2023, Tether has immobilized $4.2 billion in USDT connected to alleged criminal operations
Federal authorities in Boston have launched efforts to reclaim $327,829 in Tether following a romance scam that victimized a Massachusetts resident through a dating platform.
On Monday, the US Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts submitted a civil forfeiture filing to confiscate 327,829.720952 USDT. The legal action addresses an alleged romantic fraud operation that commenced in 2024.
A Massachusetts resident received contact from an individual identifying as “Linda Brown” via a dating application. Following multiple weeks of conversation, Brown introduced what appeared to be a cryptocurrency investment prospect to the victim.
Believing the opportunity to be genuine, the victim transferred funds. Upon attempting to access their returns, the victim discovered the fraudulent nature of the scheme.
“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 authorities, the misappropriated assets traveled through numerous cryptocurrency storage addresses. The funds subsequently underwent conversion to USDT and became part of money-laundering operations.
The Justice Department indicated that investigators successfully traced portions of the victim’s assets to several unhosted cryptocurrency wallets, which law enforcement seized in August 2025.
Romance Scams and Crypto Fraud on the Rise
This legal action represents one example within a growing trend of romance-based cryptocurrency fraud. Prior to Valentine’s Day this year, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Ohio released an alert entitled “Cupid Doesn’t Ask for Crypto.”
Federal prosecutors cautioned that fraudsters exploit social media platforms and communication applications to establish emotional connections before requesting financial transfers. The criminal community sometimes refers to these operations as “pig butchering” schemes.
The Federal Trade Commission has documented over $1 billion in losses attributed to romance scams within a single year. The FBI has classified crypto-related investment fraud as generating the highest financial losses among fraud categories.
Tether’s Role in Freezing Illicit Funds
Tether possesses the capability to immobilize its stablecoin through blacklisting specific wallet addresses. The organization has deployed this mechanism in situations identified by law enforcement agencies.
During February, Tether immobilized approximately $544 million allegedly connected to illegal gambling operations and money laundering following requests from Turkish law enforcement.
A Tether representative informed Reuters that the company has frozen roughly $4.2 billion worth of USDT linked to suspected criminal conduct since 2023.
The civil forfeiture filing asserts that all cryptocurrency connected to the confiscated wallets constituted property involved in money laundering operations.
