US attorney going after money forfeited by Mass. resident in romance crypto fraud scheme

Crime

A civil complaint alleges funds worth $327,000 were laundered through crypto wallets after a dating-app investment scheme.

Federal prosecutors are trying to recover more than $327,000 in cryptocurrency allegedly linked to a romance and investment scam that targeted a Massachusetts resident, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston announced this week.

In a civil forfeiture complaint filed in federal court, the government is asking to take control of 327,829.720952 USDT (Tether), a cryptocurrency token tied to the U.S. dollar. Prosecutors say the funds were used to launder money from a scheme that convinced the victim, who was not identified, to invest in cryptocurrency through a fake online relationship.

Investigators say the scam began in the fall of 2024, when someone identifying themselves as “Linda Brown” contacted the victim on a dating app. After communicating for several weeks, the person introduced what she claimed was a profitable cryptocurrency investment opportunity, according to court documents.

The victim later sent money to cryptocurrency wallets controlled by the scammers. Authorities say the victim realized the investment was fraudulent after being unable to withdraw the supposed earnings.

Investigators say the funds were then moved through several other cryptocurrency wallets and eventually converted into Tether, a process prosecutors say was intended to hide where the money came from.

Authorities traced some of the cryptocurrency to several unhosted digital wallets, which were seized in August 2025, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Federal officials allege the cryptocurrency associated with those wallets represents property involved in money laundering.

The civil forfeiture case allows the government to seek permanent control of assets tied to alleged criminal activity. If a court approves the forfeiture, the funds could potentially be returned to the victim.

Officials said the case reflects efforts by federal investigators to track and recover funds connected to cryptocurrency fraud schemes.

Authorities urged anyone who believes they may have been targeted by a cybercrime scheme, including romance scams, cryptocurrency investment fraud, or business email compromise, to report it to the U.S. Attorney’s Office at [email protected].

Morgan Rousseau is a freelance writer for Boston.com, where she reports on a variety of local and regional news.

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