US charges six in Madagascar NFT dating-scam scheme
Original title: Prosecutors charge Madagascar scammers in NFT-stealing scheme based on fake online dating profiles
Prosecutors say fake dating profiles steered about 800 victims into fraudulent NFT sites and at least about $516,695 in crypto losses.
The Justice Department announced charges against six people accused of running a Madagascar scam compound that targeted Americans with fake NFT investments. Scammers posed as women on dating sites, pushed victims to connect cryptocurrency wallets to fraudulent sites, and then withdrew funds, according to an affidavit and DOJ release. The FBI tied about 74 wallets to the scheme. US officials reviewed seized devices in Madagascar in August and say some suspects were repatriated to China before the investigation finished.
Unconfirmed: Workers told investigators they were trafficked and abused by Wa, but DOJ says they are believed to remain jailed in Madagascar.
- Those charged are Chui Kok Wa, Gislen Neukeu, Shamusa Ninsiima, Clement Mugiraneza, Merveille Mudacumura and Nicodemus Hingima Monyancha.
- DOJ says Cambodian compound operations moved to Madagascar after police activity and Thai-Cambodian fighting.
- A US attorney asked Madagascar to extradite the six and noted a material-witness warrant for 15 employees.
- DOJ also said its Scam Center Strike Force passed $1 billion in cryptocurrency recovered in its first year.
Impact: Cryptocurrency taken from victims' connected wallets
- 1.Treat unsolicited dating-site NFT investment requests as scams and do not connect a wallet to an unfamiliar site.
- Organizations
- U.S. Department of JusticeFBI
- Countries
- MadagascarUnited StatesChinaCambodia
From the original article
3 min read at cyberscoop.com
The scammers affected approximately 800 victims and led to losses of more than half a million dollars, the Justice Department said. The post Prosecutors charge Madagascar scammers in NFT-stealing scheme based on fake online dating profiles appeared first on CyberScoop.
By Tim Starks · cyberscoop.com
A short excerpt; the article and its images belong to the publisher. Summary, key facts and assessment above are AI-written from the article and can be wrong.