CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio has filed a civil forfeiture complaint seeking to seize approximately 680,000 USDT (Tether) — a cryptocurrency tied to the U.S. dollar — that investigators say was fraudulently obtained in an international investment scam. The forfeiture totals $679,981.22, the equivalent value in U.S. dollars.
According to court documents, the scam targeted victims in Ohio and Arizona, convincing them to invest large sums into fraudulent cryptocurrency platforms under the guise of romantic or business relationships.
How the Scam Unfolded
In July 2024, a man in Solon, Ohio, was contacted via LinkedIn by a woman calling herself “Kristina Tian.” Their conversations moved to WhatsApp, where Tian claimed success in cryptocurrency trading. She encouraged the victim to invest using his existing Kraken crypto account.
Over time, the victim transferred nearly $500,000 to a platform he believed was legitimate — but was, in fact, a scam. To build trust, Tian initially returned a portion of the investment. After that, the man felt secure enough to transfer more funds. Before he could lose additional money, FBI agents intervened, alerting him to the fraud.
When the victim confronted Tian, she responded with mocking WhatsApp messages, including:
“I feel for you. But thank you for you giving me half of your savings,”
“Lol, I enjoyed it and thank you for the money so I can find more. Glad to use your life savings.”
Second Victim in Arizona
The FBI also identified a second victim — a woman in Arizona who met a man on the dating app Coffee Meets Bagel. After building a relationship over time, he convinced her to invest through a fake platform. She ultimately lost $63,000, including $15,000 from her 401(k) and $48,000 from a home equity loan her daughter had taken out to help her invest.
Tracing the Stolen Funds
Because cryptocurrency transactions are often publicly recorded on blockchains, federal investigators traced the victims’ funds through the Tron blockchain to two wallet addresses. The stolen assets had been converted into USDT, a digital token pegged to the U.S. dollar.
On June 2, 2025, the U.S. government filed a complaint seeking the forfeiture of all 679,981.22 USDT held in the wallets. The complaint alleges the funds are the proceeds of wire fraud and were involved in money laundering violations.
If successful, the U.S. government intends to return the recovered funds to the victims.
Legal Status
The forfeiture complaint represents allegations only. The United States must prove its case by a preponderance of the evidence before funds can be lawfully seized and returned.
Ongoing Crackdown on Crypto Scams
This case is part of the FBI’s broader initiative targeting crypto-related fraud schemes nationwide. It was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James L. Morford.
Reporting Elder Fraud and Crypto Scams
Anyone with information or who suspects fraud involving older adults can contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). Suspected cyber or crypto fraud can be reported to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
