25 February 2026 – Tether, the largest company in the digital asset ecosystem, today announced that it has been acknowledged by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) for assisting in a major enforcement action, involving the seizure of nearly $61 million in USD₮. The funds were linked to a major “pig butchering” fraud operation targeting individuals across multiple jurisdictions.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the operation was carried out by Homeland Security agents and analysts in Raleigh, North Carolina, after receiving a report from the victim of the alleged investment fraud. Investigators tracked the stolen funds through multiple cryptocurrency wallets and addresses still holding large balances. With the help of Tether, Homeland Security was able to recover $61 Million in USD₮.
This action highlights Tether’s commitment to leading the digital asset industry in a compliant and transparent way by assisting law enforcement globally in preventing crypto-related crimes. To date, the company has frozen around $4.2 billion in assets linked to illicit activity, leveraging real-time tracking, advanced analytics, and direct collaboration with over 310 law enforcement agencies across more than 64 countries.
“Tether’s cooperation with the Department of Justice highlights the need for blockchain transparency to empower law enforcement to act quickly and effectively against criminal activity,” said Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether. “We are committed to supporting the authorities in freezing illicit assets, protecting victims, and ensuring that USD₮ continues to serve as a transparent tool for global commerce.”
Tether has played a pivotal role in high‑profile financial crime investigations, working closely with international agencies to track, freeze, and seize illicit funds. Recent examples include:
- U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) – Enabled civil forfeiture action against Buy Cash Money and Money Transfer Company, freezing and reissuing $1.6 million in USD₮ tied to Gaza‑based terror financing (July 22, 2025).
- Brazilian Authorities – Recognised Tether’s support in blocking R$32 million (≈ $6.2 million USD) in a cross‑border money‑laundering scheme via Klever Wallet (June 2025)
- DOJ & OKX – Enabled civil forfeiture complaint to seize approximately $225 million in USD₮ tied to “pig butchering” scams (June 2025)
- U.S. Secret Service – Froze $23 million in illicit funds linked to transactions on the Russian‑sanctioned exchange Garantex (March 2025)
- Royal Thai Police and U.S. Secret Service – Last November, the company supported the Royal Thai Police and the U.S. Secret Service in tracing and seizing $12 million from a transnational scam network.
Tether remains committed to maintaining close cooperation with law enforcement authorities to promote transparency, prevent misuse of digital assets, and strengthen trust in blockchain-based financial systems.
