The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking forfeiture of more than $25 million in cryptocurrency tied to five international fraud investigations involving fake crypto investment schemes and romance scams that targeted victims in the United States and Canada.

In addition, the DOJ highlights a March 2026 case valued at about $2.4 million, a May 2026 case around $1.2 million, and roughly $285,000 linked to a recovery-services scam.

These actions are part of the Scam Center Strike Force, launched in late 2025, which has since recovered more than $800 million for victims.

The piece carries a disclaimer about not providing trading advice and includes related reading on other crypto enforcement actions.

Industry voices stress that while blockchain enables faster transactions, effective protections and enforcement mechanisms are still lacking in crypto markets.

Experts note the difficulties of recovering crypto assets and call for stronger guardrails and protections similar to traditional finance to aid victims.

Context includes ongoing analyses and resources on crypto scams and fraud prevention, with references to articles on wallets, scam alerts, and common 2026 crypto scams.

Looking ahead, courts will decide ownership and tracing theories at the complaint stage and whether other wallets or infrastructure tied to laundering networks will be targeted.

The article stresses verifying platform legitimacy and remaining cautious of unregulated investment schemes to reduce risk for crypto users.

These cases show how authorities can freeze suspected criminal proceeds before suspects are identified, preserving assets for later forfeiture and restitution.

Background notes link much crypto fraud to forced-labor networks in Southeast Asia, framing the region as a growing global threat to cybercrime and fraud.

The announcement underscores coordinated enforcement against crypto-related scam operations as part of ongoing cross-border fraud and illicit financing suppression.