- The U.S. Department of Justice seized the cloud computing account of the HuiOne Group, crippling a key part of its massive money laundering operation.
- The illicit Telegram marketplace facilitated over $31 billion in crypto transactions for cybercrime services, making it the largest such marketplace ever recorded.
- Despite the 2025 enforcement actions, more than 30 successor marketplaces have emerged to continue the criminal ecosystem.
- The U.S. Treasury simultaneously sanctioned individuals and entities linked to the Prince Group, which was designated a Transnational Criminal Organization.
The U.S. Department of Justice seized a critical cloud account on Tuesday, dismantling part of the technological backbone used by Cambodia’s HuiOne Group to launder billions from global cyber scams. This coordinated action, announced by the DoJ, targeted subsidiaries accused of moving cryptocurrency fraud proceeds into the legitimate banking sector undetected.
One subsidiary, HuiOne Guarantee, operated an illicit Telegram-based marketplace that engaged in transactions worth billions between 2021 and 2025. The platform peddled crimeware tools like stolen personal data, money laundering services, and deepfake software for impersonating victims during video calls.
Consequently, the marketplace provided essential escrow services for criminals laundering cryptocurrency. “HuiOne Guarantee facilitated the movement of considerable funds stolen by Southeast Asian scam centers,” the DoJ stated.
A previous analysis from Elliptic revealed the platform had received over $31 billion in crypto transactions, dwarfing notorious dark web markets. Merchants even advertised tools like electric batons and shackles for scam compound operators to control their workers.
However, enforcement efforts have not eliminated the threat. Flare researchers found that over 30 new marketplaces emerged after HuiOne ceased operations in May 2025. “It has not meaningfully reduced volume across the ecosystem in aggregate,” researcher Chris d’Eon said.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Treasury unveiled fresh sanctions against nine individuals and 26 entities linked to the Prince Group. The Treasury stated these groups target Americans through large-scale cyber-enabled fraud.
In tandem, FinCEN assessed H-Pay Service PLC as a primary money laundering concern to prevent HuiOne from circumventing U.S. sanctions. This follows the May 2025 designation of HuiOne Group itself as a primary money laundering concern.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva emphasized the seizure’s importance. “Seizures of these marketplaces is critical in the fight against fraud that affects so many Americans, and to stop avenues for criminal proceeds to be laundered,” he said.
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