US seizes $61M in USDT linked to ‘pig butchering’ crypto fraud scheme
The $61 million USDT seizure in North Carolina shows how US authorities can trace and freeze stablecoin flows tied to pig butchering scams, as AI‑driven impersonation schemes surge.
US Federal agents in North Carolina have seized more than $61 million worth of USDt tied to a large‑scale “pig butchering” crypto investment scam that preyed on victims through fake online relationships and fraudulent trading platforms.
According to the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina in Raleigh on Tuesday, the scammers posed as romantic partners and claimed to have special trading expertise.
They then steered their victims toward convincing but fake crypto sites that displayed fictitious investment portfolios showing unusually high returns that enticed them to invest more, before the scammers blocked their withdrawals and demanded extra fees when victims tried to get their money back.
