Tether Freezes $225 Million Linked to Human Trafficking Syndicate, Helps US Department of Justice

Tether, the issuer of the third-largest digital currency USDT, has frozen $225 million believed to belong to a human trafficking syndicate in southeast Asia. The self-custodied digital wallets holding USDT were linked to a "pig butchering" scam, and Tether worked with crypto exchange OKX and blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis to track the funds and alert the authorities. Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said the collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice underscores the company's dedication to fostering a secure environment and setting a new standard for safety within the crypto space. However, Tether is a controversial company that has been slow to provide documentation to prove the backing of USDT and is not independently audited.