Interpol Exposes $122 Million Crypto Wallet Tied to Romance Scams Across 97 Countries

According to Interpol, authorities identified a $122 million crypto wallet controlled by a 20-year-old suspect arrested in Thailand during Operation First Light 2026, which ran between January and April across 97 countries including the United States. Over a 10-month period, the wallet processed funds allegedly linked to romance scam proceeds, often moved via cross-chain swaps to obscure the financial trail.

The global enforcement sweep resulted in 5,811 arrests and the interception of $293 million, with over 142,000 victims identified worldwide. The operation demonstrates coordinated international efforts to disrupt fraud networks exploiting digital assets and money laundering schemes.