Instance Facts:
A sophisticated cryptocurrency fraud was the topic of many complaints to the FBI’s Web Criminal offense Issue Center (IC 3 previously this year. A “pig-butchering” technique, which is a severe technique where criminals acquire depend on by posing as romantic companions or financial experts before convincing people to purchase fraudulent platforms, price targets, who were mostly targeted via social media, practically $ 2 3 million in Ethereum (ETH). By July 2025, 47 sufferers had actually been defrauded, and the FBI’s Virtual Possessions System called me in to help map the taken funds.
Here’s what we found and just how we did it– a roadmap for LEAs taking on comparable cases.
How We Investigated
Our team utilized a mix of blockchain sleuthing, online investigative job, and good old-fashioned proof collection.
Here’s the break down:
Blockchain Tracking: We made use of devices like Chainalysis Activator and Merkle Scientific research Tracker to follow the cash across the Ethereum blockchain and past.
Wallet Clustering: By assessing deal patterns, we grouped purses regulated by the very same wrongdoers.
Online Reconnaissance: We scoured social media, forums, and darknet sites to attach pocketbooks to genuine individuals.
Exchange Data: Subpoenas …