According to @FoxNews, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has moved to seize $225 million in USDT tied to a large-scale 'pig butchering' scam, a move described by former U.S. Attorney Phil Selden as a 'tone-setting case' to prioritize victim protection. The investigation, which received key assistance from the crypto exchange OKX, uncovered a sophisticated laundering network that processed approximately $3 billion in transactions. This scam is directly linked to the 2023 collapse of Heartland Tri-State Bank, as its CEO embezzled $47.1 million and sent the funds to the scammers. The DOJ's civil forfeiture action aims to secure the illicit funds, which are predominantly in USDT, before making arrests. These seized assets are expected to be transferred to a U.S. government crypto stockpile, signaling heightened regulatory action against illicit finance in the digital asset space.

According to @zachxbt, Garantex, an OFAC sanctioned entity, has had its infrastructure taken down and assets seized by law enforcement from the US, Germany, and Finland. The platform was implicated in laundering hundreds of millions from ransomware and DPRK hacks, with over 22.8M USDT confiscated.