U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro launched a powerful new strike force targeting Chinese organized crime syndicates that have stolen over $9 billion from hardworking Americans through sophisticated cryptocurrency scams.
Story Highlights
- New Scam Center Strike Force targets Chinese crime syndicates stealing billions from Americans.
- Criminals specifically prey on lonely older Americans through social media manipulation.
- Strike force has already seized $400 million, with $80 million more in recovery actions.
- Treasury sanctions an armed Burmese group supporting scam centers targeting U.S. citizens.
Strike Force Targets Criminal Networks Exploiting American Victims
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced the formation of the Scam Center Strike Force on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, during a Washington, D.C., news conference. The initiative specifically targets Chinese organized crime syndicates operating cryptocurrency investment scams from Southeast Asia.
These criminal enterprises defrauded Americans of more than $9 billion in 2024 alone, with experts suggesting the actual losses could reach 15 times higher due to widespread underreporting of these crimes.
New Scam Center Strike Force Battles Southeast Asian Crypto Investment Fraud Targeting Americans https://t.co/ypch311B4j pic.twitter.com/AaELQAg8BV
— FBI (@FBI) November 12, 2025
Predatory Tactics Target America’s Most Vulnerable Citizens
The scammers employ calculated psychological manipulation, specifically targeting older Americans through their isolation and loneliness. Pirro explained that criminals initiate contact on social media platforms, often pretending to reach out by mistake to build trust with potential victims.
Once trust is established, they move conversations to encrypted communication platforms, creating an environment where they can more effectively manipulate their targets without detection from family members or authorities.
Sophisticated Cryptocurrency Platform Manipulation
The crime organizations operate elaborate schemes that begin on legitimate cryptocurrency platforms before transferring victims to fraudulent platforms created and controlled by the scammers themselves.
This sophisticated approach allows criminals to maintain the appearance of legitimacy while gaining complete control over victims’ investments. Pirro emphasized that many victims lose their entire life savings, often leaving them unable to return to the workforce to recover financially.
Comprehensive Mission to Recover Stolen Funds
The strike force operates with a three-pronged mission designed to dismantle these criminal networks completely. First, investigators will identify and charge the leaders of cryptocurrency scam organizations.
Second, they will trace stolen funds and return them to victims. Third, they will seize and disable U.S. infrastructure, including websites, that are being used to conduct these fraudulent operations. This comprehensive approach ensures both justice and recovery for American victims.
Immediate Results and International Cooperation
The strike force has already achieved significant success, seizing $400 million in stolen funds and filing actions to seize an additional $80 million, which will be returned to victims.
The Treasury Department simultaneously announced sanctions against the Democrat Karen Benevolent Army, an armed group in Burma, along with four of its leaders for supporting cyber scam centers.
Under Secretary John K. Hurley noted that these criminal networks not only steal from Americans but also engage in human trafficking and fuel Burma’s civil war.
Private Sector Partnership Strengthens Defense
Major American companies, including Meta, Microsoft, and AARP, have proactively reached out to collaborate with the strike force in protecting Americans from these scams. This partnership between government enforcement and private industry represents a unified approach to combating international crime targeting American citizens.
The collaboration demonstrates how serious this threat has become and the commitment of American institutions to protect hardworking citizens from foreign criminal exploitation.
