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Federal prosecutors are attempting to seize $200,000 in cryptocurrency from a romance investment scam.
Federal prosecutors in Massachusetts have filed a petition to seize cryptocurrencies worth nearly $200,000 that they claim originated from an online dating scam that duped someone into making fraudulent investments.
The Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the case on January 12, 2026, stating that it is seeking to seize 200,000.039646 USDT. A detailed fraud technique was used to obtain the funds, as per the officials.
How did the scam unfold?
The investigation began last April, when federal agents started looking into a scam that targeted a Massachusetts resident. According to the Justice Department, the case follows the pattern of a so-called “pig-butchering” scam.
These operations work by having criminals build trust with targets through long online conversations. Once trust is established, they convince victims to invest money into fake cryptocurrency investment sites. People often send multiple payments before they realize something is wrong.
According to court filings, the Massachusetts target was initially contacted by a person using the dating app Tinder under the name “Nino Martin”. Once in contact, this person encouraged the victim to transfer their discussions to WhatsApp. During the exchange of messages, Martin claimed to be a financial counselor. He informed the victim that he could help them trade cryptocurrency and make money.
The victim followed Martin’s instructions and created an account. They subsequently deposited money to a trading website, which law enforcement now believes is entirely fraudulent. When the victim attempted to shift money, actual banks identified red flags and locked several of his accounts.
Following the implementation of these security measures, individuals associated with the fraudulent platform contacted the victim. To keep the money flowing, they provided detailed instructions on how to circumvent the security barriers. Before police or federal officials were notified of the matter, the victim sent around $504,353 to the alleged con artists.
Funds traced and seized
Federal investigators were able to trace some of the stolen money to a specific bitcoin wallet. In June 2025, they took control of that wallet. The latest court filing outlines the legal steps needed to address any potential claims to the funds. If no one can prove they have a legitimate right to the money, it will officially become government property and then be returned to the victim.
The Attorney’s Office said this filing is part of a greater effort. They have filed several similar cases recently to get back cryptocurrency connected to fraud schemes that hurt Massachusetts residents. Federal law makes it illegal to use electronic communications for fraud or to obtain property through lies. It’s also against federal law to handle financial deals meant to conceal the origin of criminal money or its ownership.
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, who runs the FBI‘s Boston office, issued a statement about the filing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Lyons from the Asset Recovery Unit is handling the case.
Law enforcement officials are asking people who think they might have been hit by similar cybercrimes to come forward. This covers corporate email schemes, investment fraud, and romantic fraud. They want victims to report these incidents to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. As with all civil forfeiture cases, the information in court documents represents accusations. Any possible defendants are considered innocent until a court proves otherwise.
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