The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a civil forfeiture complaint seeking to seize about $225.3 million in Tether’s USDT stablecoin that investigators say was laundered through a global network of fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platforms known as “pig butchering” scams. Federal agents froze the funds after tracing them to 144 accounts at the crypto exchange OKX, marking the largest cryptocurrency seizure in U.S. Secret Service history. According to the complaint unsealed in Washington, D.C., the FBI and Secret Service reviewed 263,000 blockchain transactions showing roughly $3 billion in digital currency moving through intermediary wallets designed to obscure ownership. The probe has identified more than 400 victims worldwide, including dozens in the United States, who were duped into believing they were investing in legitimate crypto ventures. One of the largest losses was borne by former Kansas banker Shan Hanes, who wired $47 million in embezzled funds that ultimately vanished in the scheme. Stablecoin issuer Tether and exchange OKX cooperated with authorities by flagging suspicious activity and freezing the targeted wallets. Officials said the money will be transferred to the U.S. Marshals Service pending court approval and could eventually be returned to victims. The operation underscores a rise in crypto investment fraud, which the FBI estimates caused more than $5.8 billion in reported losses last year.