The funds were traced to digital wallets tied to a fake trading platform, according to a civil complaint filed on September 5 in Albany and publicly confirmed on September 9.

The Department of Justice stated that the platform lured people into depositing money outside of its main interface.

The case outlines how those behind the scam used messaging apps to initiate contact and build trust before directing victims toward the fake exchange.

According to the filing, ten people who spoke Mandarin were first contacted through random text messages. These interactions shifted toward conversations about investing, which eventually pointed victims to a fraudulent website called ShakepayEX.

The website mimicked the design of a real Canadian exchange, which makes it seem reliable.

Once users sent their money in, they could not withdraw it. The scammers gave excuses like additional fees or new requirements, and continued asking for more money. Investigators said these tactics resulted in total losses exceeding $10 million.

Prosecutors noted that the case shows how civil forfeiture can be used to freeze stablecoin funds quickly. With help from companies like Tether, the US government is working to block such funds on-chain.

Acting US Attorney Sarcone described crypto investment fraud as a growing threat. He noted that people across the country are being targeted by schemes that operate internationally.

Recently, the US Treasury Department sanctioned individuals and groups from North Korea, Russia, and China. What happened? Read the full story.

Longhorn Pad A had been inactive for nearly ten years before Diversified restarted it in 2022. The company used the gas to power generators that ran cryptocurrency mining computers.

However, this work began without securing the required air quality permit from Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Though the permit was eventually granted in December 2023, an inspection in March 2025 showed that Diversified Energy had already removed the mining equipment.

As a result, the DEP issued a formal notice to warn that the company had left the wells without proper care. Diversified Energy disagreed with this view and stated that gas production might continue at the site in the future.

However, the DEP and environmental groups argue that Diversified Energy has not followed through on its responsibilities. In a 2021 agreement, the company promised to plug Longhorn Pad A and 13 other wells once they were no longer producing. So far, this work has not been completed.

Environmental advocates have long criticized Diversified Energy’s business model. The company often buys older, low-output wells and continues production without strong plans for closing them later. Plugging a single well can cost more than $100,000, and Pennsylvania already has about 350,000 wells that have been abandoned or left unsealed.

Meanwhile, authorities in Malaysia have shut down an illegal Bitcoin
BTC


$98,490.29

mining operation in Hulu Terengganu and Marang. How did the case unfold? Read the full story.