# How does DOJ seize bitcoin from scammers? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 15, 2025, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-doj-seize-bitcoin-from-scammers/1023981 "2025-10-15T03:48:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-doj-seize-bitcoin-from-scammers/1023981/1 "2025-10-15T03:48:22Z")
DOJ seizes $15 billion in bitcoin from ‘pig butchering’ scam based in Cambodia > **[DOJ seizes $15 billion in bitcoin from massive 'pig butchering' scam based in...](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/14/bitcoin-doj-chen-zhi-pig-butchering-scam.html?__source=androidappshare)** > > An indictment says forced-labor compounds ran cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes that stole billions of dollars from victims in the U.S. and elsewhere. I thought that was one of the features of cryptocurrency, it was immune from seizure by law enforcement. How did DOJ get access to the bitcoin wallet? I haven’t read any other coverage of this story, can someone fill me in on how this forfeiture was executed? ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-doj-seize-bitcoin-from-scammers/1023981/2 "2025-10-15T05:17:36Z")
All the news stories I found said it was “unknown” how they seized the funds. At least one said the wallet was unhosted, so they couldn’t just have compelled some company into handing over the key. Maybe armed thugs..? ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-doj-seize-bitcoin-from-scammers/1023981/3 "2025-10-15T05:37:09Z")
We’ve had several conversations on this: > [@I thought bitcoins were untraceable? Colonial ransom partially recovered](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-thought-bitcoins-were-untraceable-colonial-ransom-partially-recovered/943790): > > Just saw that the Justice Dept reportedly has recovered about $2.3-million of the ransomware paid to Darkside by Colonial Pipeline. [https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/07/politics/colonial-pipeline-ransomware-recovered/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/07/politics/colonial-pipeline-ransomware-recovered/index.html) I thought bitcoins were supposed to be untraceable? Or is this a case of everything online is traceable if you look hard enough? What are the weaknesses that would allow you to trace the transactions back to a person? Converting it into a hard currency? DOJ release: [http…](https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/department-justice-seizes-23-million-cryptocurrency-paid-ransomware-extortionists-darkside) And this thread as well, though the ability to trace/track the funds starts around #50 > [@Bitcoins. Are they a net negative to human society?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bitcoins-are-they-a-net-negative-to-human-society/940889): > > I may have gotten a little carried away in the GQ thread about bitcoins, so I’m starting this one. The debate is if bitcoins are of net harm or net benefit to humanity as a whole. It seems as if we’re reaching a tipping point in the general awareness of bitcoins, at least here in the US. A few players set to be drafted into the NFL in a few days, including the likely #1 pick, have announced that they will be converting large sums of their pay into bitcoins. There was a top of the website art… ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-doj-seize-bitcoin-from-scammers/1023981/4 "2025-10-15T15:33:12Z")
I assume they extort…uh, plea bargain with the holders of the wallets. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-doj-seize-bitcoin-from-scammers/1023981/5 "2025-10-15T15:35:51Z")
My guess is they confiscated a computer with the wallet on it. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-doj-seize-bitcoin-from-scammers/1023981/6 "2025-10-15T19:17:42Z")
Isn’t there an encryted password to open the wallet? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-doj-seize-bitcoin-from-scammers/1023981/7 "2025-10-15T19:19:30Z")
There doesn’t have to be (I don’t think so). ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-doj-seize-bitcoin-from-scammers/1023981/8 "2025-10-15T19:20:42Z")
If I had a billion dollars in bitcoin, there would be. And I don’t know shit about bitcoin. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-doj-seize-bitcoin-from-scammers/1023981/9 "2025-10-15T19:49:06Z")
Strictly IMHO, but just because bitcoin is (relatively) new and “high tech”, the various criminals who are using it don’t have to be especially smart or secure about how they handle it. Someone, somewhere, has to be able to access the money and especially if they’re moving it around and/or using it to pay for actual IRL goods, it’s likely to be more than one. So … yeah, probably more easy than you’d think to find someone to squeal, or, as said in the other threads, it’s _comparatively_ easy to trace back once you do try to convert to a flesh world product or currency. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-doj-seize-bitcoin-from-scammers/1023981/10 "2025-10-15T20:14:21Z")
I’m curious about the jurisdictional issues too. Did they get Cambodia to extradite? Did we send in a black ops team? I wouldn’t put it past the current admin to hire out the job “by any means necessary” to some private outfit in exchange for a cut of the proceeds, either…