Brooklyn DA, FBI Shut Down Crypto Scam Targeting Russian Speakers
Current overview (not historical)
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, working with the FBI, seized 241 scam domains and 112 servers that were used to defraud Russian‑speaking victims. The operation exposed a network that advertised on Facebook and posed as investment advisors, locking victims’ accounts or demanding additional fees. Victims reportedly lost tens of millions of dollars—some even their life savings—while the DA’s office has recovered roughly $300,000 of the stolen funds and is continuing recovery efforts. The crackdown highlights how the scammers leveraged social‑media advertising and fake financial expertise to lure and extort Russian‑speaking users. Despite the recovery, the scale of the losses underscores the ongoing threat posed by sophisticated crypto fraud rings that target specific language communities.
Written with AI from the reporting · updated 10/15/2026
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- 1Unclassified fact stationOct 15, 00:00recorded Oct 15, 18:17revised
Brooklyn DA dismantles crypto scam targeting Russian speaker
Read original source ↗ DecryptReplay this moment in the explorerEvidence & revisions · 4 source records
- Subject：
- Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez's office
- Action：
- seized and disrupted 241 scam domains and 112 servers
- Object：
- crypto scam infrastructure targeting Russian speakers
- Occurred (fact side)：
- Oct 15, 00:00
- Published (valid side)：
- Oct 15, 18:01
- First seen (known side)：
- Oct 15, 18:17
- Published (valid side)：
- Oct 15, 20:36
- First seen (known side)：
- Oct 15, 21:37
- Published (valid side)：
- Oct 15, 20:35
- First seen (known side)：
- Oct 15, 22:26
- Published (valid side)：
- Oct 16, 07:03
- First seen (known side)：
- Oct 16, 07:46
Fact stationRevisedCopy may have been revised later; time replay is bounded. Layer labels group reading only, not causation between layers.
- 2Unclassified fact stationOct 15, 22:26single sourcereport-time onlyrevised
加密诈骗分子盗取数百万美元后假装帮助受害者追回资金
Read original source ↗ CryptoSlateReplay this moment in the explorerEvidence & revisions · 1 source records
- Occurred (fact side)：
- not recorded
- Published (valid side)：
- Oct 15, 20:20
- First seen (known side)：
- Oct 15, 22:26
Fact stationSingle source · one-sided claimRevisedReport-time onlyCopy may have been revised later; time replay is bounded. Layer labels group reading only, not causation between layers.
Uncertainty marks flag where to check the sources; they are not proven causation.
Report timeline
Explore every side through dated source reports.
- Bitcoin MagazineBrooklyn DA Dismantles Multinational Crypto Scam Network Targeting Russian-Speaking Victims
Report first recorded Oct 16, 07:46
The Brooklyn District Attorney's office, in collaboration with the FBI, dismantled the online infrastructure of a multinational cryptocurrency scam that defrauded Russian-speaking victims across the U.S of tens of millions of dollars. Investigators seized or disrupted 241 scam domains and over 100 cloud servers hosted by Eastern European and American companies. The scam lured victims via Russian-language investment ads on Facebook, leading them to a fake crypto platform where they were later locked out or charged bogus fees. The three-year investigation has recovered about $300,000, and prosecutors are working to recover more.
Read original source ↗
- BeInCryptoBrooklyn DA's Office Dismantles Crypto Scam Targeting Russian Speakers
Report first recorded Oct 15, 21:37
The Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez’s office, with FBI assistance, disrupted 241 scam domains and 112 servers belonging to a crypto scam targeting Russian speakers. The scheme used Facebook ads and fake investment advisors to lure victims into buying crypto, only to lock their accounts or demand extra fees for withdrawal. Investigators also found the group ran a secondary recovery scam against victims. The DA’s office estimates tens of millions of dollars were stolen, and they have seized about $300,000 so far.
Read original source ↗ - CoinDeskSource report revisedBrooklyn Prosecutors and FBI Dismantle Crypto Fraud Network Targeting Russian Speakers
Report first recorded Oct 15, 22:26
Brooklyn prosecutors and the FBI seized or disrupted 241 scam websites and 112 servers linked to a crypto fraud targeting Russian speakers in the U.S. The scheme allegedly stole tens of millions by using Russian-language Facebook ads and fake advisers, then attempted secondary exploitation with fake recovery offers. This operation followed a three-year investigation, targeting servers hosted by Eastern European and U.S. companies. Crypto scams accounted for roughly 84% of the $8.65 billion in investment-fraud losses reported to the FBI in 2025, with total crypto-linked losses reaching $11.37 billion out of $20.88 billion overall.
Read original source ↗ - CryptoSlateRelated fact: single sourceFact occurrence time unverifiedSource report revisedBrooklyn prosecutors reveal crypto scammers targeted Russian-speaking investors and attempted recovery fraud
Report first recorded Oct 15, 22:26
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.
Read original source ↗ - DecryptSource report revisedBrooklyn Prosecutors Dismantle 112 Servers and 241 Domains in Crypto Scam Targeting Russian Speakers
Report first recorded Oct 15, 18:17
The Brooklyn District Attorney's Virtual Currency Unit, in collaboration with the FBI, disrupted 112 servers and 241 web domains used in a crypto investment scam targeting Russian-speaking Americans via Facebook ads. Prosecutors estimate tens of millions of dollars were stolen, including some victims' life savings, and have seized approximately $300,000 so far. The scheme involved victims being coached into buying crypto and sending it to linked addresses, only to be locked out or asked for additional fees, and the scammers also ran a secondary recovery scam.
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