- A major U.S.-led crackdown disrupted over 1.4 million social media accounts and froze $3.8 million in cryptocurrency tied to transnational fraud.
- The “Disruption Week” operation targeted Southeast Asian scam centers, leading to arrests in Thailand and infrastructure takedowns.
- Losses from crypto investment scams targeting Americans surged to over $7.2 billion in 2025.
- The coordinated effort involved tech giants like Meta and Coinbase alongside international law enforcement.
In a sweeping international crackdown, the U.S. Department of Justice announced on Wednesday the results of a “Disruption Week” operation against cyber-enabled cryptocurrency fraud. The action, which began May 18, 2026, targeted criminal groups in Southeast Asia defrauding American victims.
Private sector partners, including Coinbase, voluntarily froze over $3.8 million in cryptocurrency used to launder stolen funds. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia said “Cyber-enabled and crypto investment fraud is devastating Main Street Americans, wiping out life savings and preying on some of our most vulnerable citizens.” Consequently, the effort is part of the broader Scam Center Strike Force initiative.
These schemes often involve “pig butchering” scams, where criminals cultivate relationships before funneling victims to fake investment platforms. Once funds are deposited, the scammers seize the assets and cut off contact.
Participating companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft worked with agencies including the Australian Federal Police and Royal Thai Police. Their collaboration led to the disruption of more than 1.4 million accounts on Facebook and Instagram, plus 20,000 Microsoft accounts.
Authorities also decommissioned servers and hosting infrastructure across Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, the Royal Thai Police arrested seven scammers and opened new cases.
Reported losses from these scams have risen dramatically, from $5.8 billion in 2024 to over $7.2 billion in 2025. The DoJ noted many scams are run from compounds in Cambodia, Laos, and Burma, where workers are often trafficked and forced to conduct fraud.
In a related operation last month, U.S. and Chinese authorities arrested 276 suspects and shut down nine scam centers. Meta separately said 63 potential criminals have been arrested so far, with Coinbase freezing over $3 million in crypto assets. Police Lieutenant General Jirabhop Bhuridej emphasized that strong international collaboration is essential to dismantling these networks.
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