Tether confirms collaboration with the US government to freeze over $344 million in USDT

Odaily reported that Tether has announced it has supported the US government in freezing over $344 million in USDT across two wallet addresses. This freezing action was carried out in collaboration with the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and US law enforcement to prevent further movement of funds.

The freeze was based on information provided by multiple US law enforcement agencies, linking these addresses to illegal activities. Tether stated that it takes freezing measures when wallet addresses are associated with sanctions evasion, criminal networks, or other illicit activities. This has now become Tether's standard response to legitimate requests from US and global law enforcement agencies.

Tether adheres to a zero-tolerance policy, firmly opposing criminal activities conducted through its financial products, including USDT, and has long followed OFAC's guidelines regarding the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list. The company works closely with over 340 law enforcement agencies worldwide, helping to identify and freeze assets linked to illegal activities or bad actors, preventing further transfers.

Tether has supported over 2,300 cases globally, including more than 1,200 cases involving US law enforcement agencies. The total amount of assets frozen exceeds $4.4 billion, of which $2.1 billion is related to US law enforcement agencies.

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said, "USDT is by no means a safe haven for illegal activities. When there is a credible link to sanctioned entities or criminal networks, we act immediately. Recent events have shown what happens when platforms fail to act swiftly, law enforcement becomes ineffective, users are exposed, and trust is lost. Our approach is different. We combine blockchain transparency, real-time monitoring, and direct coordination with law enforcement to stop the flow of funds. This is the responsibility of one of the largest issuers in the market, and we take it very seriously."

This action is part of Tether's cooperation with US law enforcement. The US Department of Justice has previously confirmed Tether's support in enforcement actions, successfully seizing nearly $61 million and approximately $225 million in "pig butchering" scam funds. These cases demonstrate that as long as issuers and law enforcement agencies work closely together, digital assets on public blockchains are not untouchable.