DA says he shut down 21 sites stealing millions through crypto scams

By KAREN MATTHEWS
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Authorities in New York City say they have disrupted an online fraud operation that stole millions of dollars by duping victims into making phony cryptocurrency investments. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said Thursday that his office seized 21 web domains being used by scammers in so-called “pig butchering” schemes. The term refers to gaining a victim’s trust through dating apps or other sites and steering them toward bogus investments. One woman who spoke anonymously as part of the district attorney’s presentation says she lost $118,000 after a scammer contacted her through a dating app.