Coinbase Freezes $3 Million in Crypto Linked to Southeast Asia Fraud Networks

Coinbase has frozen more than $3 million in digital assets connected to large scale fraud networks operating across Southeast Asia. The action was carried out during “Disruption Week,” a coordinated operation led by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Scam Center Strike Force to combat cyber-enabled financial crime.

Global Effort Targets Scam Infrastructure

The operation brought together government agencies, technology companies, and international law enforcement partners. Organizations involved included the FBI, U.S. Secret Service, Meta, Microsoft, Starlink, and authorities from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Thailand.

Authorities disrupted criminal operations by shutting down servers, removing online infrastructure, and targeting more than 1.4 million social media and email accounts linked to fraudulent activity. The effort also resulted in multiple arrests carried out by Thailand’s Anti Cyber Scam Center.

Crypto Investment Fraud Remains a Serious Threat

Officials said investment scams and so-called pig butchering schemes continue to cause significant financial damage. According to federal data, Americans lost more than $11 billion to crypto- and AI-related scams during 2025.

Coinbase stated that blockchain technology provides a transparent and permanent transaction record, helping investigators trace illicit funds and disrupt criminal networks more effectively.