Tether and OKX, two prominent players in the cryptocurrency industry, have joined forces with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) to freeze around $225 million worth of USDT. These funds are believed to be linked to an international human trafficking syndicate operating in Southeast Asia. The investigation into this criminal network utilized blockchain analysis tools provided by Chainalysis to identify the wallets involved in a widespread online scam known as “pig butchering.” This scam involves scammers posing as potential romantic partners who build trust with their victims before tricking them into sending money under false pretenses. Tether’s CEO, Paolo Ardoino, emphasized the company’s commitment to safety and transparency in the crypto space through collaboration with law enforcement agencies. The frozen wallets, which are not directly associated with Tether’s customers, were discovered through the analysis of fund flows on the blockchain. OKX’s Chief Innovation Officer, Jason Lau, highlighted the importance of partnering with stakeholders, including government agencies, to promote trust and contribute to the public good in the crypto industry. This recent collaboration follows Binance’s assistance to Thai authorities in dismantling a large-scale crypto scam that defrauded victims of over $277 million. Interestingly, the same group involved in the pig butchering scam was also behind this fraudulent scheme.