According to ChainCatcher, U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman announced that victims who lost millions of dollars due to business email compromise (BEC) may receive compensation thanks to the swift actions of the U.S. Secret Service and the asset forfeiture unit of the U.S. Attorney's Office. In December 2023, a company engaged in real estate transactions reported that its system was breached, and scammers stole over $1 million by submitting fraudulent wire transfer instructions.
Investigations revealed that at least ten other businesses or individuals were also victimized, with losses ranging from $75,000 to $425,000. The funds obtained from these scams were laundered through multiple bank accounts, some of which were held by 'money mules,' and were subsequently consolidated into a cryptocurrency wallet controlled by Nigerian scammers.
Law enforcement quickly acted, seizing approximately 32.68 bitcoins from the scammers' cryptocurrency wallet, which was valued at about $900,000 at the time. The U.S. Attorney's Office subsequently filed a civil forfeiture lawsuit for the seized bitcoins. Since the seizure, the price of bitcoin has more than tripled. Due to the rise in bitcoin prices, ten victims who have filed claims may receive full compensation.
