US prosecutors charge six over alleged dating-app crypto scam that drained victims' wallets
WJLA reported on 27 October 2026 that U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced charges against six Africa-based people accused of a cryptocurrency investment scam targeting Americans. Prosecutors allege the defend…
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Source: wjla.com · published
What happened
WJLA reported on 27 October 2026 that U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced charges against six Africa-based people accused of a cryptocurrency investment scam targeting Americans. Prosecutors allege the defendants posed as women on dating sites and social apps, built trust with victims, steered them to fake crypto investment websites and then drained their funds after victims connected their wallets. Investigators identified about 74 crypto wallets linked to victims in Maryland, Oregon, Nevada and Minnesota. The stolen money was allegedly moved to accounts tied to China-based actors, and the group allegedly moved scam compounds from Cambodia to Madagascar. One defendant, Chui Kok Wa, is accused of leading the scheme. These are allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
How the scam works
The case describes a romance-and-investment hybrid. Victims were approached on dating sites and social apps by someone presenting as a woman, and the relationship was used to win trust. The "partner" then pointed the victim to a crypto investment website. When the victim connected a wallet to the site, the money could be drained without their knowledge, prosecutors allege.
Prosecutors say the phones of the alleged leader contained scripts telling workers to use victims' feelings to get them to invest, and employment records showing bonuses tied to money stolen. The U.S. has asked Madagascar to extradite the six defendants. Pirro's office also obtained warrants to interview 15 alleged employees who say they were trafficked and abused; officials believe they are being held in jail in Madagascar. Pirro said the Scam Center Strike Force has restrained more than $1 billion in cryptocurrency tied to fraud and seized more than 700 fraudulent investment websites.
Pirro's advice was: "Never connect your cryptocurrency wallet to a website recommended by someone that you met online." Sophisticated scam operations like this often rely on workers who are themselves victims of trafficking, which is why prosecutors are seeking to interview them.
Source
WJLA (7News), "6 accused scammers in Africa charged after dating scheme drained Americans' crypto wallets" (27 October 2026).
Red flags
- A new online romantic interest who steers the conversation towards crypto investing.
- A recommended investment website you can't verify, found through someone you met online.
- A site that asks you to connect your crypto wallet.
- Messages that rely on emotion or secrecy to push you to invest.
- Early 'profits' shown on a platform that you can't withdraw from.
If you were targeted
- 1Never connect your crypto wallet to a website recommended by someone you met online.
- 2Be sceptical of a new online partner who talks about investing, and ask a trusted person for a second opinion.
- 3If you connected your wallet, revoke token approvals and move remaining funds to a new wallet, then report quickly.
- 4Report losses to the FBI's IC3 (ic3.gov) and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- 5Keep wallet addresses, transaction IDs and chat records.