DOJ Seeks $5M in Stolen Bitcoin Linked to SIM Swap Crypto Attacks
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a civil forfeiture case to recover over $5 million in stolen bitcoin linked to SIM swap attacks targeting five victims between October 2022 and March 2023. The attackers gained control of victims’ phone numbers to access their cryptocurrency accounts and moved the funds through multiple wallets, including Stake.com, using circular transactions to obscure the source. The case is being handled by the DOJ’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, which absorbed the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team to strengthen crypto-related cybercrime enforcement. SIM swapping remains a major attack vector in crypto, with prior cases involving hundreds of millions in stolen funds.