Brooklyn prosecutors reveal crypto scammers targeted Russian-speaking investors and attempted recovery fraud

Brooklyn prosecutors disclosed on Oct. 14 that an international enforcement operation disrupted 112 servers and 241 websites supporting a cryptocurrency investment scheme that allegedly stole tens of millions of dollars from victims across the United States. The criminal network, which targeted Russian-speaking Americans through Russian-language Facebook ads, initially lured victims with fraudulent investment promises. After victims faced locked accounts or demands for extra fees, the scammers later contacted them, claiming they could recover the missing assets, exploiting their substantial financial losses. The three-year investigation identified a concentration of victims in Brooklyn.