TLDR
- US prosecutors in Boston filed a civil forfeiture action to recover $327,829 in Tether (USDT) linked to a romance scam
- A Massachusetts resident was targeted in 2024 by someone using the name “Linda Brown” on a dating app
- The victim was tricked into sending funds under the guise of a crypto investment opportunity
- Authorities traced the stolen funds through multiple crypto wallets before they were converted to USDT
- Tether has frozen $4.2 billion in USDT tied to suspected criminal activity since 2023
Federal prosecutors in Boston are trying to recover $327,829 in Tether after a Massachusetts resident was scammed through a dating app.
The US Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts filed a civil forfeiture action on Monday to seize 327,829.720952 USDT. The case centers on an alleged romance fraud scheme that began in 2024.
The scam involved a person using the name “Linda Brown” who contacted a Massachusetts resident through a dating app. After several weeks of communication, Brown told the victim about a crypto investment opportunity.
The victim sent funds believing the investment was real. When they tried to withdraw their money, they found it was a scam.
“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.
Authorities say the stolen funds were moved through multiple cryptocurrency wallets. The money was then converted into USDT and used in money-laundering transactions.
The Justice Department said some of the victim’s funds were traced to multiple unhosted cryptocurrency wallets, which were seized in August 2025.
Romance Scams and Crypto Fraud on the Rise
This case is part of a broader pattern of romance-linked crypto fraud. Ahead of Valentine’s Day this year, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Ohio issued a warning titled “Cupid Doesn’t Ask for Crypto.”
Prosecutors warned that criminals use social media and messaging apps to build relationships before asking for money. These schemes are sometimes called “pig butchering” scams.
The Federal Trade Commission has previously reported more than $1 billion in romance scam losses in a single year. The FBI has identified crypto-linked investment fraud as its largest loss category.
Tether’s Role in Freezing Illicit Funds
Tether has the ability to freeze its stablecoin by blacklisting certain wallet addresses. The company has used this tool in cases flagged by law enforcement.
In February, Tether froze about $544 million allegedly tied to unlawful betting platforms and money laundering at the request of Turkish authorities.
A Tether spokesperson told Reuters that the company has frozen around $4.2 billion worth of USDT connected to suspected criminal activity since 2023.
The civil forfeiture complaint alleges that all cryptocurrency associated with the seized wallets was property involved in money laundering.
