TLDR
- Federal prosecutors in Boston initiated civil forfeiture proceedings to reclaim $327,829 in Tether (USDT) connected to a romance-based fraud scheme
- A victim from Massachusetts was contacted in 2024 by an individual identifying as “Linda Brown” through a dating platform
- The target was deceived into transferring money under false pretenses of a cryptocurrency investment venture
- Law enforcement tracked the misappropriated assets across several digital wallets until conversion to USDT
- Since 2023, Tether has blocked approximately $4.2 billion in USDT connected to alleged illegal operations
Federal authorities in Boston have launched an effort to reclaim $327,829 in Tether following a dating app fraud targeting a Massachusetts individual.
The Massachusetts US Attorney’s Office submitted a civil forfeiture petition on Monday seeking to confiscate 327,829.720952 USDT. The matter revolves around a suspected romance fraud operation that commenced in 2024.
The fraudulent scheme featured an individual adopting the identity “Linda Brown,” who initiated contact with a Massachusetts victim via a dating application. Following multiple weeks of conversation, Brown presented what appeared to be a cryptocurrency investment prospect.
The victim transferred funds under the impression the investment was legitimate. Upon attempting to retrieve 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.
Law enforcement officials indicate the misappropriated assets were transferred across numerous cryptocurrency addresses. These funds were subsequently converted to USDT and utilized in money-laundering operations.
The Justice Department stated that portions of the victim’s money were identified in several unhosted cryptocurrency addresses, which authorities confiscated in August 2025.
Romance Scams and Crypto Fraud on the Rise
This incident represents a segment of an expanding trend of romance-related cryptocurrency fraud. Prior to Valentine’s Day this year, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Ohio released an advisory entitled “Cupid Doesn’t Ask for Crypto.”
Authorities cautioned that fraudsters leverage social media platforms and messaging applications to establish relationships before requesting financial transfers. These operations are occasionally referred to as “pig butchering” scams.
The Federal Trade Commission has documented over $1 billion in romance scam casualties within a single year. The FBI has classified crypto-related investment fraud as its most significant 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 deployed this mechanism in situations identified by law enforcement agencies.
In February, Tether blocked approximately $544 million purportedly connected to illegal gambling operations and money laundering following requests from Turkish officials.
A Tether representative informed Reuters that the organization has frozen roughly $4.2 billion in USDT associated with suspected illegal activities since 2023.
The civil forfeiture filing contends that all digital assets linked to the confiscated wallets constituted property involved in money laundering operations.
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