Crypto News: U.S., UK Target Scam Centers After $8.65B Losses

The United States and United Kingdom expanded cross-border enforcement against crypto scam centers on Sept. 3. The agreement linked U.S. and UK prosecutors, investigators, and private-sector partners against organized fraud networks. The latest crypto news focused on coordinated investigations, information sharing, and planned enforcement activity in London.

The pact mattered because scam centers increasingly combine cryptocurrency fraud, money laundering, coercion, and human trafficking. U.S. authorities have treated these networks as transnational organized crime rather than isolated online fraud cases. That approach could increase asset seizures, prosecutions, and cross-border evidence sharing involving crypto transactions.

Crypto News: U.S.-UK Pact Targets Scam Centers

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced the memorandum of understanding on Sept. 3. The Crown Prosecution Service and UK National Crime Agency signed the agreement with U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

The Justice Department called the pact its first international agreement focused specifically on disabling these scam centers. The targeted operations conduct cryptocurrency investment fraud and other cyber-enabled schemes. Authorities had already identified overlapping cases before signing the agreement.

Pirro said the partnership would target Chinese transnational organized crime networks operating scam compounds. She linked those operations to stolen funds and human-trafficked labor. The Justice Department said many targeted scam centers operated primarily in Southeast Asia.

The agreement expanded the Scam Center Strike Force, which Pirro launched in November 2025. Federal Bureau of Investigation and Secret Service personnel participate in the force. Homeland Security Investigations and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation also participate.

How Joint Enforcement Will Work

The memorandum set out several operational steps for U.S. and UK authorities. Agencies agreed to share intelligence, investigate common targets, and discuss which jurisdiction should prosecute specific cases. They also agreed to prioritize cases involving organized scam networks.

The structure matched wider federal policy adopted earlier this year. President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14390 on March 6. The order directed agencies to strengthen investigations, disruption efforts, international coordination, and private-sector cooperation against cyber-enabled crime.

The White House order also directed agencies to develop an action plan targeting transnational criminal organizations. It called for an operational cell within the National Coordination Center. The order also directed the attorney general to prioritize prosecutions involving scam centers and cyber-enabled fraud.

That policy gave the new bilateral agreement a wider enforcement framework. It also linked criminal investigations to sanctions, diplomacy, intelligence sharing, and potential restitution efforts for victims.

Crypto News Data Shows Scale of Crypto Scam Losses

The Justice Department said cyber-enabled investment fraud losses reached $8.65 billion in 2025. It said that the figure rose 89% from $4.57 billion reported in 2023. The department cited data reported to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

However, the FBI’s 2025 annual report used a narrower category for cryptocurrency investment fraud. That report recorded $7.2 billion in reported losses from cryptocurrency investment scams during 2025. The difference reflects separate fraud classifications rather than conflicting totals within a single category.

The FBI described cryptocurrency investment fraud as its largest source of reported financial losses that year. It said organized criminal enterprises in Southeast Asia often operated these schemes using trafficked labor. Scammers commonly use messaging platforms, fake investment groups, and fraudulent trading platforms.

The FBI also warned that criminals often moved conversations onto messaging apps before requesting cryptocurrency transfers. Victims then saw fabricated profits, while withdrawal attempts triggered additional payment demands or account restrictions.

Earlier enforcement showed how international coordination could operate. On April 29, the Justice Department announced 276 arrests tied to at least nine scam centers. Dubai Police led that operation with support from the FBI and China’s Ministry of Public Security.

U.S. prosecutors also charged defendants accused of wire fraud and money laundering. Authorities said the dismantled centers had targeted Americans through cryptocurrency investment schemes.

Next Crypto News Catalyst Arrives in October

The next scheduled enforcement step is scheduled for early October. The Justice Department said the UK National Crime Agency will host an in-person disruption event in London.

U.S. and UK authorities plan to work with private-sector partners during that operation. The event should show how quickly the new agreement moves from information sharing into coordinated enforcement.