Brooklyn DA Disrupts Major Crypto Scam Targeting Russian Community

• •Brooklyn DA's office seized 241 domains and 112 servers linked to a crypto scam.
• •Victims, primarily Russian speakers, lost millions through fraudulent investment schemes.
• •Authorities recovered $300,000 but face ongoing challenges with new scam websites.

On October 14, 2026, the Brooklyn District Attorney's office announced the disruption of a cryptocurrency fraud scheme that targeted the Russian-speaking community in Brooklyn. The operation, conducted in collaboration with the FBI, resulted in the seizure of 241 web domains and 112 servers used by the scammers. Victims were misled into investing in fraudulent platforms, losing millions in the process. The scammers locked victims out of their accounts and demanded additional fees to access their funds. Authorities managed to recover $300,000 of the stolen funds. The investigation, which began three years ago, revealed that the criminals operated from various Eastern European countries, including Ukraine. Despite these efforts, new scam websites continue to emerge, prompting ongoing law enforcement action against the infrastructure supporting these scams. A recent Treasury Department report indicated that over $12.7 billion was stolen from U.S. residents through cryptocurrency investment scams from September 2023 to December 2025.