11 September, 2026 – Tether, the largest company in the digital asset industry, today announced that it has been acknowledged by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) for its proactive assistance in a major enforcement action targeting an international network responsible for facilitating cryptocurrency fraud, money laundering, and scam operations.
The DOJ’s Scam Center Strike Force announced that more than $52 million in cryptocurrency was restrained in a single day as part of coordinated action against Xinbi Guarantee, a Chinese-language marketplace authorities allege provided services to scam centers and organized criminal groups around the world. In announcing the action, the DOJ specifically thanked Tether “for its proactive assistance in this investigation.”
According to the DOJ, Xinbi operated through Telegram, connecting scam operators with vendors offering services including money laundering, fraudulent investment websites, and the recruitment of trafficking victims to work in scam compounds. Investigators traced funds belonging to U.S. victims to vendors operating through the network.
As part of the action, authorities seized two cryptocurrency wallets used by Xinbi to collect vendor payments of approximately $12 million and sought the restraint of 47 additional wallets believed to be associated with money laundering activity. Together, the coordinated actions resulted in more than $52 million in cryptocurrency being restrained.
“By now, criminal organizations should understand that using digital assets does not put them beyond the reach of the law,” said Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether. “Tether has consistently demonstrated that the stablecoin infrastructure can give law enforcement powerful tools to identify, disrupt, and stop illicit financial activity. We thank the DOJ for their acknowledgement of Tether’s proactive role in dismantling this crime network, and will continue to proudly work with agencies around the world to stop bad actors from misusing USD₮.”
Tether has built a longstanding track record of leading the digital asset industry in supporting law enforcement. To date, the company has collaborated with more than 340 law enforcement agencies across 67 countries, assisting in more than 2,800 cases globally, including over 1,600 involving U.S. law enforcement. These efforts have contributed to the freezing of more than $5 billion in assets linked to illicit activity, including more than $2.5 billion in cooperation with U.S. authorities.
Tether’s recent cooperation with U.S. authorities includes supporting enforcement actions involving approximately $225 million in USD₮ linked to an international human trafficking and romance scam syndicate, nearly $61 million in USD₮ connected to a large-scale cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme, and more than $344 million in USD₮ frozen in coordination with OFAC and U.S. law enforcement.
The company continues to work directly with the DOJ, FBI, U.S. Secret Service, and other authorities around the world to combat the misuse of USD₮ and support the recovery of illicit assets.
