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Key Notes
- The DOJ recovered $40K in crypto linked to Trump-Vance inaugural scam.
- Scammer impersonated committee co-chair Steve Witkoff via phishing email.
- Tether cooperated with authorities to help recover the stolen funds.
U.S. federal prosecutors have recovered $40,300 in cryptocurrency connected to a scam targeting the Trump-Vance inaugural committee.
The scammer executed an email phishing scheme, falsely claiming to represent the committee and convincing a donor to transfer crypto assets to a wallet they believed was officially affiliated.
On July 3, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced that her office had initiated legal action to seize cryptocurrency obtained through a Business Email Compromise (BEC) scheme. The perpetrator persuaded the victim to transfer $250,300 in cryptocurrency to their wallet and then attempted to launder the funds by routing them through multiple wallets.
The Scam
In a press release from the Department of Justice (DOJ), authorities revealed that the scammer set up a fake email address impersonating Steve Witkoff, a co-chair of the inaugural committee.
On December 24, 2024, the scammer sent a deceptive email from a look-alike domain, t47lnaugural.com, which cleverly replaced a lowercase “l” with an “i” to mislead the recipient. The unsuspecting victim transferred cryptocurrency into the scammer’s wallet two days later.
The impersonator, who is believed to be a scammer based in Nigeria, funneled the cryptocurrency from “58c52 cryptowallet” to multiple wallets in an attempt to obscure their origin.
FBI agents were notified of the scam and successfully recovered approximately $40,300 from the fraudster. Steven J. Jensen, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, noted that “impersonation scams take many forms and cost Americans billions in losses each year.”
He further stated that scammers rely on “subtle differences to deceive you and gain your trust. Never send money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or other assets to people you do not know personally or have only interacted with online or over the phone.”
The DOJ has given credit to Tether for their cooperation in making the recovery possible. Pirro advised, “All donors should double and triple check that they are sending cryptocurrency to their intended recipient. It can be extremely difficult for law enforcement to recoup lost funds due to the extremely complex nature of the blockchain.”
The U.S. attorney further stated that they are partnering with law enforcement agencies to track criminals and compensate victims.
Recently, a U.S. court rejected Tether’s bid to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Celsius Network, ruling that Celsius can proceed with its legal action against the company.
Crypto scams are on the rise, with TRM Labs reporting over $2.1 billion stolen in 75+ hacks during the first half of 2025. The Bybit hack alone accounted for $1.5 billion, nearly 70% of total losses.
Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to deliver accurate and timely information but should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify information on your own and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.
