The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on March 21 that $7 million in proceeds from a cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme had been recovered and has now begun inviting victims to submit petitions to repatriate their funds. "These fraudulent sites mimic legitimate cryptocurrency investment platforms but wire victims' funds to perpetrators through more than 75 bank accounts opened in the name of shelf companies," authorities said. Victims were misled into believing that the value of their investments was increasing when in reality, the proceeds were fabricated. After laundering money through a complex series of domestic and international transactions, the perpetrators eventually moved the funds overseas. In June 2023, the U.S. Secret Service seized funds from a foreign bank account, prompting the Justice Department to file a civil forfeiture lawsuit. After the foreign bank filed a claim, the parties reached a settlement that resulted in the forfeiture of $7 million to the United States.