Federal Authorities Pursue $327K Tether Recovery After Dating App Crypto Scam

TLDR

• Federal prosecutors in Boston have initiated a civil forfeiture proceeding to reclaim $327,829 in Tether (USDT) connected to a dating app romance scam
• An individual from Massachusetts was contacted in 2024 by a scammer operating under the alias “Linda Brown” through a dating platform
• The scammer convinced the victim to transfer money for what was presented as a legitimate cryptocurrency investment
• Law enforcement officials tracked the illicit funds as they moved across various cryptocurrency wallets and were ultimately converted to USDT
• Since 2023, Tether has immobilized approximately $4.2 billion in USDT associated with alleged criminal operations

Federal authorities in Boston have launched an effort to reclaim $327,829 worth of Tether following a sophisticated dating app scam that victimized a Massachusetts resident.

On Monday, the US Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts submitted a civil forfeiture petition seeking to confiscate 327,829.720952 USDT. The legal action stems from an alleged romance-based fraud operation that unfolded during 2024.

The fraudulent scheme featured an individual operating under the pseudonym “Linda Brown,” who initiated contact with the Massachusetts victim via a dating application. Following multiple weeks of building trust through regular communication, Brown introduced what was characterized as a lucrative crypto investment proposition.

The victim transferred funds based on the belief that the investment was legitimate. However, when attempting to access and withdraw their investment returns, the victim discovered they had been defrauded.

According to law enforcement officials, the stolen assets were systematically transferred through a series of cryptocurrency wallets. These funds were subsequently converted into USDT and utilized in transactions designed to launder money.

The Department of Justice revealed that portions of the victim’s funds were successfully traced to several unhosted cryptocurrency wallets, which federal authorities seized in August 2025.

Romance Scams and Crypto Fraud on the Rise

This incident reflects a growing trend of romance-oriented cryptocurrency fraud schemes. Earlier this year, in anticipation of Valentine’s Day, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Ohio released a public advisory entitled “Cupid Doesn’t Ask for Crypto.”

Federal prosecutors cautioned that fraudsters exploit social media platforms and messaging applications to establish seemingly genuine relationships before requesting financial transfers. These fraudulent operations are frequently referred to as “pig butchering” scams within law enforcement circles.

The Federal Trade Commission has documented romance scam losses exceeding $1 billion within a single year. Additionally, the FBI has classified crypto-related investment fraud as the category responsible for the highest financial losses.

Tether’s Role in Freezing Illicit Funds

Tether possesses the technical capability to immobilize its stablecoin by placing specific wallet addresses on a blacklist. The organization has deployed this enforcement mechanism in situations identified by law enforcement agencies.

This past February, Tether immobilized approximately $544 million allegedly connected to illegal gambling operations and money laundering activities following a request from Turkish law enforcement authorities.

A company representative informed Reuters that Tether has frozen roughly $4.2 billion in USDT linked to suspected illicit activities beginning in 2023.

The civil forfeiture filing asserts that all cryptocurrency holdings within the confiscated wallets constituted property involved in money laundering operations.

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