TLDR
- Federal prosecutors in Boston initiated a civil forfeiture proceeding to reclaim $327,829 in Tether (USDT) connected to a romance fraud scheme
- An individual from Massachusetts fell victim in 2024 to a scammer operating under the alias “Linda Brown” on a dating platform
- The target was deceived into transferring money through false promises of cryptocurrency investment returns
- Law enforcement tracked the pilfered assets across various digital wallets before their conversion to USDT
- Since 2023, Tether has immobilized approximately $4.2 billion in USDT associated with alleged illegal operations
Boston-based federal authorities are pursuing the recovery of $327,829 in Tether following a romance scam that targeted a Massachusetts individual through a dating application.
On Monday, the US Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts submitted a civil forfeiture complaint seeking to confiscate 327,829.720952 USDT. The legal action focuses on an alleged romance fraud operation that commenced in 2024.
The fraudulent scheme featured an individual operating under the pseudonym “Linda Brown,” who initiated contact with a Massachusetts resident via a dating app. Following multiple weeks of correspondence, Brown introduced the target to what was presented as a lucrative crypto investment prospect.
The victim transferred funds with the belief that the investment opportunity was legitimate. However, when attempting to withdraw their capital, they discovered they had been defrauded.
“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.
Investigators report that the pilfered assets were transferred across several cryptocurrency wallets. Subsequently, the funds were exchanged for USDT and utilized in money-laundering operations.
The Justice Department stated that portions of the victim’s assets were tracked to multiple unhosted cryptocurrency wallets, which authorities confiscated in August 2025.
Romance Scams and Crypto Fraud on the Rise
This incident represents part of an expanding trend of romance-based cryptocurrency fraud. Before Valentine’s Day this year, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Ohio released an advisory titled “Cupid Doesn’t Ask for Crypto.”
Authorities cautioned that fraudsters exploit social media platforms and messaging applications to establish emotional connections before soliciting money. These operations are occasionally referred to as “pig butchering” scams.
The Federal Trade Commission has documented over $1 billion in romance scam losses within a single year. The FBI has classified crypto-related investment fraud as its highest-loss category.
Tether’s Role in Freezing Illicit Funds
Tether maintains the capability to freeze its stablecoin by placing specific wallet addresses on a blacklist. The organization has implemented this mechanism in situations identified by law enforcement agencies.
In February, Tether immobilized approximately $544 million purportedly linked to illegal gambling operations and money laundering following a request from Turkish officials.
A Tether representative informed Reuters that the corporation has frozen roughly $4.2 billion in USDT linked to suspected criminal conduct since 2023.
The civil forfeiture filing contends that all cryptocurrency tied to the confiscated wallets constituted property involved in money laundering activities.
