US charges six Madagascar-based scammers over fake dating-profile NFT investment scheme that drained about 800 victims' crypto wallets
US prosecutors charged six alleged scammers, Chui Kok Wa, Gislen Neukeu, Shamusa Ninsiima, Clement Mugiraneza, Merveille Mudacumura and Nicodemus Hingima Monyancha, for running a romance-themed NFT investment scam from a compound in Madagascar. Operators posed as women on dating websites and lured Americans into connecting their cryptocurrency wallets to fraudulent NFT investment sites, then drained the funds without the victims' knowledge. The FBI linked about 74 wallets and roughly 800 victims to the scheme, with estimated losses of at least $516,695. The group has ties to China and Malaysia, and investigators say operations were relocated from a Cambodian scam compound to Madagascar. DOJ also said its Scam Center Strike Force has recovered more than $1 billion in cryptocurrency in its first year.
Detalhes técnicos
- Initial contact came through dating websites using fake female personas, followed by a push to connect crypto wallets to fraudulent NFT investment sites.
- After the wallets were connected, victims were encouraged to keep funding them, and the scammers then pulled money out covertly.
- Devices seized from the scam compounds, including Wa's phones, held employment contracts and victim-facing scripts describing the work as "an emotional scam".
- Device review and interviews tied the group to Southeast Asia and China. Workers said Cambodian police activity and the Thailand-Cambodia armed conflict led to the move to Madagascar.
- Madagascar repatriated some suspects to China before the investigation was complete. A material witness warrant was obtained to interview 15 employees who claim they were trafficked and abused by Wa and are believed to be jailed in Madagascar.
Remediação
- US Attorney Pirro called on the Madagascar government to cooperate and extradite the six defendants.
- Individuals should treat any request from a dating-site contact to connect a wallet to an investment site as a scam indicator.
Linha do tempo
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US charges six Madagascar-based scammers over fake dating-profile NFT investment scheme that drained about 800 victims' crypto wallets
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US prosecutors charged six alleged scammers, Chui Kok Wa, Gislen Neukeu, Shamusa Ninsiima, Clement Mugiraneza, Merveille Mudacumura and Nicodemus Hingima Monyancha, for running a romance-themed NFT investment scam from a compound in Madagascar. Operators posed as women on dating websites and lured Americans into connecting their cryptocurrency wallets to fraudulent NFT investment sites, then drained the funds without the victims' knowledge. The FBI linked about 74 wallets and roughly 800 victims to the scheme, with estimated losses of at least $516,695. The group has ties to China and Malaysia, and investigators say operations were relocated from a Cambodian scam compound to Madagascar. DOJ also said its Scam Center Strike Force has recovered more than $1 billion in cryptocurrency in its first year.
Technical Details
- Initial contact came through dating websites using fake female personas, followed by a push to connect crypto wallets to fraudulent NFT investment sites.
- After the wallets were connected, victims were encouraged to keep funding them, and the scammers then pulled money out covertly.
- Devices seized from the scam compounds, including Wa's phones, held employment contracts and victim-facing scripts describing the work as "an emotional scam".
- Device review and interviews tied the group to Southeast Asia and China. Workers said Cambodian police activity and the Thailand-Cambodia armed conflict led to the move to Madagascar.
- Madagascar repatriated some suspects to China before the investigation was complete. A material witness warrant was obtained to interview 15 employees who claim they were trafficked and abused by Wa and are believed to be jailed in Madagascar.
Remediation
- US Attorney Pirro called on the Madagascar government to cooperate and extradite the six defendants.
- Individuals should treat any request from a dating-site contact to connect a wallet to an investment site as a scam indicator.