Madagascar and U.S. authorities dismantled 13 scam compounds in August-September, seizing $52M in cryptocurrency and 3,200 devices in romance and investment fraud operations.
Regulation & Gov ·
Law enforcement in Madagascar and the U.S. Department of Justice jointly conducted operations during August and September that resulted in the shutdown of 13 compounds engaged in fraud schemes. The coordinated effort targeted criminal networks running romance scams, investment fraud, and cryptocurrency-related offenses. According to the DOJ, authorities seized approximately $52 million in cryptocurrency and confiscated more than 3,200 electronic devices in a single operational period.
The enforcement actions led to the extradition of 148 Chinese nationals who had been convicted of online fraud to China, where they are to serve their sentences. The scale of the operation and the multinational cooperation reflect efforts to dismantle organized fraud infrastructure operating across borders. However, details remain limited regarding the specific geographic locations of the compounds, the timeline of asset transfers, or the complete scope of victims affected by these fraud rings.