The United States Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts has filed a civil forfeiture action to recover more than 200,000 USDT (Tether), which authorities allege are proceeds from an online cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme. The digital assets, valued at about $200,000, were seized as part of an investigation that began in April 2025.
According to court documents, the case centers on a Massachusetts resident who was targeted by what is known as a “pig-butchering” scam. In these schemes, scammers develop trust with victims through online communication before persuading them to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency ventures. The victim met an individual identifying himself as “Nino Martin” on Tinder and later communicated with him via WhatsApp. Martin claimed to be a financial advisor and encouraged the victim to invest through a trading platform believed by law enforcement to be fraudulent.
The victim followed instructions and transferred approximately $504,353 to the suspected fraudulent platform before contacting law enforcement. Some of the funds were subsequently traced and seized from a cryptocurrency account in June 2025.
“It is a violation of federal law to use wire communications as part of a scheme to defraud or to obtain money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses. It is also a violation of federal law to conduct a financial transaction knowing that the transaction is designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, or control of criminal proceeds,” stated the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
A civil forfeiture action allows third parties who claim interest in the property to come forward before it can be permanently forfeited and returned to victims. This filing is among several recent actions by federal prosecutors aimed at recovering cryptocurrency linked to scams affecting residents in Massachusetts.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Field Office announced the action. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Lyons from the Asset Recovery Unit is handling the case.
Authorities encourage members of the public who believe they may have been victims of cybercrime—including cryptocurrency scams—to contact USAMA.CyberTip@usdoj.gov.
Officials note that all allegations outlined in court filings remain unproven until adjudicated: “The details contained in the civil forfeiture complaint and criminal charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”