FBI Confiscated Nearly $2M Worth of Crypto Between March and May 2023: Report

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced confiscating approximately $1.7 million worth of crypto assets from March to May in the United States in a bid to combat illicit activities.

The seizures were carried out as a result of numerous breaches in federal regulations.

• The law enforcement agency took control of $147,000 in Bitcoin (BTC), $800,000 in Ether (ETH), $307,000 in Tether (USDT), 469,000 in Dai, and $20,000 in Monero (XMR) across Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania, among other states.
• According to the official document, the FBI seized a total of 428.5 ETH in the Eastern District of Virginia, which amounted to approximately $463,000, marking the most substantial confiscation so far.
• In addition to digital assets, the FBI also documented the seizure of US Dollars from bank accounts, sports cars, and luxury items such as bags, clothing, footwear, etc.
• The FBI has consistently issued warning against fraudsters in the crypto space and has also raided the houses of several well-known industry players.
• The US law enforcement agency searched the residence of Kraken founder Jesse Powell in July, a few months after a nonprofit organization accused the exec of hacking and cyberstalking activities.
• The former CEO of FTX’s Bahamian subsidiary, Ryan Salam’s house, was also raided by the FBI. He had reportedly turned on Sam Bankman-Fried days before bankruptcy.
• Earlier this year, the agency also cautioned about fake job ads that entice people to Southeast Asia, where innocent victims are held against their will and coerced into perpetrating international crypto scams on unsuspecting victims.

Featured Image Courtesy of CNN