Brooklyn prosecutors and the FBI disrupted 241 websites and seized or disabled 112 servers linked to a cryptocurrency investment network accused of stealing tens of millions of dollars from Russian-speaking victims in the United States. The operation followed a three-year investigation, and no arrests were announced.
The network attracted victims through Russian-language Facebook advertisements promising investment opportunities. Fake advisers then guided them to purchase cryptocurrency and transfer it to fraudulent trading platforms. When victims attempted to withdraw funds, the platforms blocked access or demanded additional payments described as taxes or fees.
Investigators found that the operators later contacted some victims again, offering to recover their stolen money for another payment. Authorities said the servers, hosted by companies in the United States and Eastern Europe, contained victim information and the software used to operate the scam. Targeting that infrastructure was intended to make it harder for the operators to replace individual domains with new sites.
Brooklyn’s Virtual Currency Unit had previously disrupted about 400 domains tied to cryptocurrency investment fraud, but replacement websites continued to appear. Authorities have seized about $300,000 in the latest investigation and are seeking to recover more; prosecutors said some victims lost their entire life savings.
The case follows earlier Brooklyn investigations into related scams targeting Russian speakers.
The broader scale of cryptocurrency fraud is reflected in federal data for 2025. The Brooklyn investigation remains focused on disrupting the network’s infrastructure and recovering additional funds.