DOJ seeks to recover crypto seized by FBI from alleged scheme impersonating Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced late Wednesday that her office had filed a complaint to recover 40,353 USDT on Ethereum stolen in an alleged business email compromise scheme.The complaint alleges that scammers posed as the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee to defraud a donor of a total $250,300 in cryptocurrency, laundering the proceeds through multiple wallets. Through onchain analysis and with the assistance of the issuer of the stablecoin, Tether, the FBI traced and seized $40,353 of the funds, which the complaint now seeks to return to the victim through civil forfeiture.More specifically, the complaint claims that on Dec. 24, 2024, a scammer located in Nigeria and posing as Trump-Vance Inaugural Co-Chair Steve Witkoff emailed victims from a fake address (@t47lnaugural.com), swapping the "i" in the legit email address for a lowercase "l," instructing them to send funds to a crypto wallet ending in 58c52. Believing the email was legitimate, a victim sent $250,300 worth of USDT on Ethereum two days later."All donors should double and triple check that they are sending cryptocurrency to their intended recipient. It can be extremely difficult for law enforcement to recoup lost funds due to the extremely complex nature of the blockchain," Pirro said. "Nevertheless, my office and our law enforcement partners stand ready to go toe-to-toe with criminals and make victims whole."Impersonation scams cost Americans billions in losses"Impersonation scams take many forms and cost Americans billions in losses each year," said Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office, which is investigating the case. "To avoid becoming a victim, 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. 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."Anyone who believes they've been a victim of cybercrime — such as business email compromise, cryptocurrency, romance, investment, or "pig butchering" scams — should report it to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, the DOJ said.Last month, the DOJ acknowledged Tether and crypto exchange Coinbase for assisting the U.S. Secret Service in seizing about $225 million in cryptocurrency tied to separate alleged schemes dating back to 2023 — the largest crypto seizure in the agency's history.Disclaimer: The Block is an independent media outlet that delivers news, research, and data. As of November 2023, Foresight Ventures is a majority investor of The Block. Foresight Ventures invests in other companies in the crypto space. Crypto exchange Bitget is an anchor LP for Foresight Ventures. The Block continues to operate independently to deliver objective, impactful, and timely information about the crypto industry. Here are our current financial disclosures.© 2025 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.