On Friday, September 11, 2026, Tether, a financial technology company that issues the Tether stablecoin (USDT), said it has received acknowledgment from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) for its significant assistance in a major operation against an international criminal network. This network was involved in cryptocurrency fraud, money laundering, and various scam operations.
The DOJ’s Scam Center Strike Force reported that over $52 million in cryptocurrency was restrained in a single day as a result of coordinated actions targeting Xinbi Guarantee. Authorities allege that Xinbi, a Chinese-language marketplace, provided services to scam centers and organized criminal groups globally. The DOJ specifically extended its gratitude to Tether for its “proactive assistance in this investigation.”
According to the DOJ, Xinbi facilitated its operations through the Telegram platform, connecting scam operators with vendors offering services such as money laundering, fraudulent investment websites, and the recruitment of trafficking victims to work in scam compounds. Investigators were able to trace funds belonging to U.S. victims to vendors operating within this network.
As part of the enforcement action, authorities seized two cryptocurrency wallets utilized by Xinbi for collecting vendor payments, totaling approximately $12 million. Additionally, efforts were made to restrain 47 other wallets suspected of being involved in money laundering activities. The combined actions led to the restraint of over $52 million in cryptocurrency.
Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, stated that criminal organizations should recognize that digital assets do not shield them from legal repercussions. He emphasized Tether’s consistent demonstration of how its stablecoin infrastructure provides law enforcement with effective tools to identify, disrupt, and halt illicit financial activities.
Ardoino further expressed gratitude to the DOJ for acknowledging Tether’s proactive role in dismantling the crime network and affirmed the company’s commitment to collaborating with agencies worldwide to prevent the misuse of USD₮ by malicious actors.
Tether has established a notable history of supporting law enforcement within the digital asset industry. To date, the company has partnered with over 340 law enforcement agencies across 67 countries, contributing to more than 2,800 cases globally, including over 1,600 cases involving U.S. law enforcement. These collaborative efforts have resulted in the freezing of more than $5 billion in assets linked to illicit activities, with over $2.5 billion frozen in cooperation with U.S. authorities.
Recent cooperation between Tether and U.S. authorities includes support for enforcement actions involving approximately $225 million in USD₮ connected to an international human trafficking and romance scam syndicate, nearly $61 million in USD₮ linked to a large-scale cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme, and over $344 million in USD₮ frozen in coordination with the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and U.S. law enforcement agencies.
Source: Tether
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