Overview
- The Justice Department announced the seizure of nearly $61 million in USDT linked to so‑called pig‑butchering investment scams.
- Tether reports roughly $3.5 billion of the $4.2 billion in frozen tokens was blocked since 2023 as cases accelerated.
- USDT circulation now exceeds $180 billion, expanding the market impact of freezes and investigations.
- Past actions included freezes tied to human trafficking, conflict‑related activity in Israel and Ukraine, and sanctioned exchange Garantex, alongside collaborations with the Secret Service, Brazil, Thailand and OKX.
- The Financial Action Task Force has urged tougher national enforcement, and researchers estimate crypto money‑laundering receipts reached about $82 billion last year.