The U.S. Scam Center Strike Force has successfully frozen and seized over $580 million in cryptocurrency associated with criminal networks in Southeast Asia. This announcement was made by Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, highlighting the significant impact of efforts against scam operations in regions such as Burma, Cambodia, and Laos.
In her statement on Thursday, Pirro emphasized that these seizures are a critical component of the Scam Center Strike Force”s mission. She assured American victims, “We are here for you, we care for you, and we will continue fighting like hell to claw back your funds.” The office intends to pursue legal avenues to forfeit these assets and maximize recovery for victims.
Established in November 2025, the Scam Center Strike Force operates in collaboration with various agencies, including the DOJ, FBI, Secret Service, and U.S. Treasury. Its primary focus is on dismantling transnational criminal organizations that have profited immensely from fraudulent schemes known as “pig butchering” scams. These scams typically involve manipulating victims into investing in cryptocurrency, only for the scammers to take control of the funds through deceptive investment platforms.
Southeast Asia has been identified as a hotspot for such scams, often featuring operations that exploit coerced labor. Interpol has classified this issue as a global threat, and in September 2025, the U.S. Treasury”s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned 19 entities linked to these frauds, which collectively defrauded victims of over $10 billion in 2024.
Moreover, Amnesty International raised alarms last month regarding a humanitarian crisis stemming from mass escapes of workers from Cambodian scam operations. These workers have reported severe abuses, including violence and exploitation.
Deddy Lavid, CEO of blockchain analytics firm Cyvers, remarked that while the $580 million in seizures is noteworthy, it represents only a small fraction of the broader spectrum of global cryptocurrency fraud. According to Lavid, approximately 27,000 active criminal groups have been identified globally, with a staggering fraud exposure of $27.5 billion.
Pirro”s announcement also linked these Southeast Asian scams to Chinese organized crime, suggesting a complex web of transnational criminal activity. Lavid elaborated that while some scams show ties to Chinese criminal organizations, the operational landscape is increasingly decentralized, involving local operatives and regional facilitators.
This evolving criminal environment underscores the urgent need for continued vigilance and coordinated international responses to combat cryptocurrency fraud.
