June 19 (UPI) -- The Department of Justice has filed a civil forfeiture complaint to seize $225.3 million for victims involved in cryptocurrency scams.
The complaint, filed Wednesday, alleges that the cryptocurrency addresses that held over $225.3 million were part of a sophisticated blockchain-based money laundering network.
"Civil forfeiture complaint is the latest action taken by the Department to protect the American public from fraudsters specializing in cryptocurrency-based scams, and it will not be the last," said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department's Criminal Division.
"These schemes harm American victims, costing them billions of dollars every year, and undermine faith in the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Our investigators and prosecutors are relentlessly pursuing these scammers and their ill-gotten gains, and we will relentlessly pursue recovery of victim funds."
Last week, the DOJ found five men guilty who laundered over $36 million from victims. They operated out of Cambodia and face maximum penalties of between five and 20 years in prison.
