Cryptocurrency scammers have been robbing Americans blind for years.
These crooks hide in China and Cambodia, stealing Americans' retirement accounts while the feds play catch-up.
And Florida just seized over $1 million from a Chinese scammer who thought he was untouchable.
Florida Cyber Fraud Unit Hunts Down Overseas Scammer
Attorney General James Uthmeier announced his Cyber Fraud Enforcement Unit seized $1.5 million in cryptocurrency from Chinese national Tu Weizhi.¹
The case started in July 2024 when a Citrus County resident reported losing $47,421 to what looked like a legitimate online investment opportunity.
Investigators traced the stolen money through the blockchain and found it sitting in a cryptocurrency wallet allegedly controlled by Tu.
But here's where it gets interesting.
Prosecutors didn't just recover the $47,421 the victim lost.
They seized Tu's entire crypto wallet — worth $1.5 million.²
The wallet contained Dogecoin, Solana, Avalanche, and Pepe tokens that Tu thought were safely hidden overseas.
https://twitter.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/1999124115781787685?s=20
Tu faces charges of money laundering, grand theft, and organized scheme to defraud.
He's believed to be hiding in China right now.
If he ever tries to enter the United States, he'll be arrested immediately.
Chinese Scammers Flood America With Crypto Fraud
Cryptocurrency fraud exploded in 2024, with Americans losing $9.3 billion to investment scams.³
That's a 45% increase from 2022.
Most of these scams trace back to Chinese nationals operating from China, Cambodia, and Russia — places where American cops can't arrest them.⁴
The playbook never changes.
Some smooth-talking scammer reaches out through WhatsApp or Telegram with a can't-miss crypto investment opportunity.
The website looks professional.
The returns look incredible.
Everything's legit until you try to cash out.
That's when they hit you with "tax fees" or "release fees" before you can access your money.
Victims keep sending more cash trying to unlock earnings that never existed in the first place.
By the time victims realize they've been scammed, the money is gone and the scammers have vanished.
Most victims never recover a single dollar.
The FBI's Operation Level Up assisted 4,300 victims in 2024, but that's a tiny fraction of the 69,000 complaints filed that year.⁵
https://twitter.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/1999244329777242176?s=20
Florida Uses Old Law In New Way To Grab Digital Assets
Florida pulled off this seizure using the Fugitive Disentitlement Act.
The statute allows courts to seize assets from defendants who refuse to submit to U.S. jurisdiction.
Tu can't use Florida courts to contest the forfeiture unless he shows up in person to face the criminal charges.
That's a catch-22 Chinese scammers weren't counting on.
"This isn't the first time U.S. law enforcement has seized assets in absentia, but what's notable is how comfortably those doctrines now extend to crypto," Angela Ang of TRM Labs told reporters.⁶
The doctrine is built on a simple principle: you can't ask U.S. courts to protect your property while refusing to face U.S. jurisdiction.
Florida has been aggressive about using this approach.
Public records show similar forfeiture actions this year in Citrus, Broward, and Marion counties targeting wallets connected to major cryptocurrency exchanges.⁷
When scammers refuse to show up and face justice, the state takes everything.
Attorney General Uthmeier, who took office in February 2025 after serving as Governor Ron DeSantis's chief of staff, has made cracking down on cyber fraud a priority.
"While scammers are changing their methods, I am proud of our Statewide Prosecutors' ability to adapt and deliver justice," Uthmeier said in announcing the seizure.¹
The seized cryptocurrency will be returned to the victim once the legal process concludes.
That Citrus County resident who lost $47,421 is getting made whole again — and then some.
Florida proved cryptocurrency scammers hiding overseas aren't as untouchable as they think.
The blockchain transparency they thought protected their anonymity just became their worst nightmare.
Turns out the blockchain these scammers thought protected them just became their worst enemy.
Every transaction is permanently recorded.
Investigators follow the trail straight to the wallet. And Florida takes every dollar in it.
¹ Florida Attorney General's Office, "Attorney General James Uthmeier Announces Seizure of $1.5 Million in Cryptocurrency From Chinese National Who Defrauded Floridian," MyFloridaLegal.com, December 11, 2025.
² Ibid.
³ FBI, "2023 Cryptocurrency Fraud Report Released," FBI.gov, September 9, 2024.
⁴ Attorneys for Crypto Fraud Recovery, "Attorneys Face Tough Battle in Cryptocurrency Fraud Recovery," MO Lawyers Media, April 10, 2025.
⁵ Ibid.
⁶ Angela Ang quoted in "Florida Seizes $1.5M in Dogecoin, Pepe and Solana Over Case Tied to Chinese National," Decrypt, December 12, 2025.
⁷ Ibid.
