Key Insights
- The DOJ filed a complaint to recover $40,353 in USDT stolen through a scam impersonating the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee.
- A Nigerian-based scammer tricked a donor into sending $250,300 in crypto using a lookalike email.
- The FBI, with help from Tether, traced and seized part of the funds through onchain analysis.
WASHINGTON, (MarketsXplora) — U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced late Wednesday that her office has filed a formal complaint seeking the recovery of $40,353 in cryptocurrency allegedly stolen through a business email compromise (BEC) scheme. The scam, which involved criminals impersonating the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee, defrauded a donor of $250,300 in USDT on Ethereum.
According to the complaint, on December 24, 2024, a scammer based in Nigeria posed as Inaugural Co-Chair Steve Witkoff and contacted victims using a fraudulent email address: @t47lnaugural.com. The address subtly swapped the lowercase letter “l” for the letter “i” — a tactic meant to deceive recipients into believing the email was legitimate. Two days later, one of the victims transferred $250,300 worth of Tether (USDT) to a wallet ending in 58c52, believing the funds were being sent to the inaugural committee.
Through onchain analysis and with cooperation from Tether, the FBI tracked and seized $40,353 of the stolen funds. The complaint now seeks to return that amount to the defrauded victim through a civil forfeiture process.
FBI Urges Vigilance Against Subtle Email Impersonation Scams
“All donors should double and triple check that they are sending cryptocurrency to their intended recipient,” Pirro said. “It can be extremely difficult for law enforcement to recoup lost funds due to the extremely complex nature of the blockchain. Nevertheless, my office and our law enforcement partners stand ready to go toe-to-toe with criminals and make victims whole.”
Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI’s Washington Field Office emphasized the growing threat of impersonation scams, which cost Americans billions annually. “Carefully review email addresses, website URLs, and spelling in any messages you receive. Scammers often use subtle differences to deceive you and gain your trust,” Jensen said. “Never send money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or other assets to people you do not know personally or have only interacted with online or over the phone.”
Tether, Coinbase Praised for Support in Broader Cybercrime Crackdown
The Department of Justice also noted the importance of public-private cooperation in crypto investigations. Just last month, the DOJ credited Tether and crypto exchange Coinbase for their role in helping the U.S. Secret Service seize roughly $225 million in cryptocurrency linked to unrelated criminal schemes dating back to 2023 — the largest crypto seizure in agency history.
Victims of cybercrime, including those involving cryptocurrency, romance scams, or so-called “pig butchering” schemes, are encouraged to report incidents to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.