ChangeNOW’s cooperation with global law enforcement agencies allows us to actively contribute to the fight against Web3 crime.
In this case, U.S. authorities and ChangeNOW seized and recovered stolen funds linked to a large-scale social engineering scheme.
Case Overview
In December 2025, the United States Secret Service (USSS) contacted us regarding potentially stolen funds. The amount of damage, 5 BTC, was approximately $334,269.85 at the time of seizure.
In May 2025, a Wisconsin resident reported being a victim of a sophisticated social engineering attack. The victim believed they were involved in an illegal financial operation.
The attacker, posing as a federal law enforcement officer, communicated via both email and phone. Ultimately they convinced the victim to transfer their Bitcoin to a fraudulent address.
As the investigation progressed, agents from multiple departments, including:
- Kenosha Police Department (Wisconsin, United States)
- Greenfield Police Department (Wisconsin, United States)
- Wauwatosa Police Department (Wisconsin, United States)
- United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
worked alongside the USSS to trace the flow of funds. The United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin was instrumental in the legal filings for the Federal Court side of fund recovery in the US.
Blockchain analysis showed that this was not an isolated event. There were multiple victims, and more than one criminal was involved in the fraud. The total damage amounted to $12 million.
ChangeNOW’s Role in the Case
Following the official request, ChangeNOW conducted an internal review and confirmed that the flagged funds had indeed passed through our service.
Thanks to the proactive efforts of our Compliance & Data Analytics team, as well as established cooperation channels with law enforcement, the funds were successfully identified and frozen.
This case highlights the importance of real-time monitoring systems and strong AML procedures in preventing further movement of illicit assets.
Transfer of Funds to Authorities
After completing all required legal and compliance procedures, the full amount of 5 BTC was successfully transferred to the appropriate authorities in February 2026.
This outcome was successful through close coordination between ChangeNOW and U.S. law enforcement agencies.
