Tether assisted the U.S. Department of Justice in restraining more than $52 million in cryptocurrency linked to Xinbi Guarantee, a Chinese-language network accused of supporting scam centers and organized crime, the stablecoin issuer said on Sept. 11, 2026.
Authorities seized two cryptocurrency wallets holding about $12 million in vendor payments and sought restraints on 47 additional wallets believed tied to money laundering. The coordinated action brought total restrained assets above $52 million.
The DOJ’s Scam Center Strike Force said Xinbi Guarantee operated mainly through Telegram, connecting scam groups with vendors offering money laundering, fraudulent investment websites and trafficking victim recruitment. Investigators traced crypto belonging to U.S. victims to vendors in the network.
Tether said the DOJ “specifically thanked” the company for its proactive assistance. CEO Paolo Ardoino said: “By now, criminal organizations should understand that using digital assets does not put them beyond the reach of the law.”
Tether has worked with more than 340 law enforcement agencies across 67 countries on over 2,800 cases, contributing to freezing more than $5 billion in assets linked to illicit activity. Recent cases include about $225 million tied to human trafficking and romance scams, nearly $61 million in investment fraud, and a $344 million freeze with U.S. authorities and OFAC.
The case highlights how public blockchain transaction trails can aid asset recovery and law enforcement, especially for stablecoin issuers like Tether.
