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Stablecoin issuer Tether has helped over 145 law enforcement agencies recover more than $108.8 million in USDT linked to illegal activities since its launch in 2014, according to a recent statement.
“Tether remains resolute in its mission to support global law enforcement efforts in combating illicit uses of cryptocurrency,” Tether CEO Paolo Ardoini <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://tether.io/news/tether-proactively-assists-u-s-doj-in-criminal-investigation-and-victim-recovery/" rel="null" target="null" text="null">wrote</a> in an Aug. 23 statement.
Ardoini claimed that Tether is “fully dedicated” to continue collaborating with law enforcement to combat fraud. 
<blockquote>
 “We unequivocally condemn the misuse of USDT or any cryptocurrency for criminal activities.”
</blockquote>
Since its launch, Tether has “voluntarily blocked” more than 1,900 cryptocurrency wallets worldwide that have been connected to illicit activity.
<h3 id="tether-s-work-with-law-enforcement">Tether’s work with law enforcement</h3>
Most recently, Tether assisted the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) in seizing approximately $5 million of its Tether (<a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://cointelegraph.com/tether-price-index" rel="" target="_self" text="null">USDT</a>) token from scammers who tricked victims by <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/crypto-pig-butcher-busts-see-5-m-recovered-former-bank-ceo-jailed#:~:text=Pig%20butchering%20occurs%20when%20the,results%20in%20a%20financial%20loss." rel="" target="_self" text="null">posing as romantic interests</a> before disappearing with their money in a scam known as “pig-butchering.”
Pig-butchering criminals typically meet their victims online and often spend a lot of time building trust with them to entice them to make larger investments. 
Tether explained that the seizure of funds “mark a significant victory in the ongoing battle against cyber-enabled fraud.”
It also noted that the investigation included Tether onboarding the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Secret Service onto its platform “to effectuate synergy in investigations.”
<h3 id="romance-scams-becoming-a-major-concern">Romance scams becoming a major concern</h3>
In 2023, romance scams <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/defi-scams-evolution-pig-butchering-fraud" rel="null" target="null" text="null">more than doubled in revenue</a> year-over-year, with data indicating a growth of 85x since 2020, <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/darknet-market-crypto-crimes-rise-chainalysis" rel="null" target="null" text="null">Cointelegraph reported on Feb. 23</a>.
Related: <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/tether-launches-usdt-aptos-blockchain-lowering-transaction-costs" rel="null" target="null" text="null">Tether expands USDT to Aptos blockchain for lower fees</a>
Chainalysis believes that pig-butchering scams have the “worst impact on victims of all scam types” due to the average payment size.
“These fake investment platforms display a fictitious investment portfolio with abnormally large investment returns, which is designed to induce the victim to invest more,” the US DOJ wrote in an Aug. 22 <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/investment-fraud-disrupted-seizure-5-million-cryptocurrency" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" text="null">statement</a>.
The DOJ explained that once the funds are obtained, they are then moved through crypto wallets to “obfuscate the nature, source, control, and ownership of those fraud proceeds.”
Meanwhile, on March 12, Cointelegraph reported that Tether assisted the DOJ with the <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/tether-helps-us-doj-fbi-recover-1-4-m-stolen-usdt-tokens" rel="" target="_self" text="null">seizure of roughly $1.4 million USDT</a> due to suspicions of it being proceeds from fraud via a customer support scam.
Magazine: <a data-ct-non-breakable="null" href="https://cointelegraph.com/magazine/cryptocurrency-airdrop-bots-blockchain-pga-golf-game-cointelegraph-magazine/" rel="null" target="null" text="null">Beat crypto airdrop bots, Illuvium’s new features coming, PGA Tour Rise: Web3 Gamer</a>

Tether has ‘redistributed’ $108.8M in USDT from illicit activity since 2014

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Cointelegraph

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