- The US DOJ seized the Huione cloud infrastructure used for crypto laundering.
- FBI says victims lost a whopping $7.2 billion to crypto fraud in 2025.
- Huione Guarantee allegedly ran Telegram markets for criminal services.
The US Department of Justice has seized a cloud computing account used by subsidiaries of Cambodia-based Huione Group, striking at infrastructure authorities say helped move billions of dollars linked to crypto scams and cybercrime.
According to court filings, the account powered backend systems used by Huione Guarantee, also known as Haowang Guarantee. US officials allege the platform operated as a major Telegram-based marketplace that offered services for money laundering, stolen data sales, and other criminal activity.
The action forms part of Operation Riptide, an FBI campaign aimed at disrupting cybercrime networks and the systems that support them.
DOJ Targets the Technical Backbone
The Justice Department said the seized cloud account acted as part of the technological foundation that enabled fraud proceeds to be transferred and concealed. Authorities believe much of the money originated from scam centers operating across Southeast Asia.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva described Huione as one of the world’s most active criminal marketplaces and said dismantling the infrastructure behind these networks is necessary to stop laundering operations.
The account hosted services used by subsidiaries of the Huione Group, which investigators have repeatedly linked to cryptocurrency fraud and cyber scams.
Instead of targeting wallets alone, authorities focused on the systems that kept the network operating. Officials believe disrupting infrastructure can have a broader impact than going after individual actors.
Telegram Marketplace Allegedly Supported Criminal Services
Court documents allege that Huione Guarantee ran Telegram channels where users discussed stolen credit card information, identity data, malware-related theft proceeds, and human trafficking services.
The platform allegedly provided escrow services for criminals conducting transactions. Authorities said these services were used by money launderers and operators behind romance scams and cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes.
Investigators traced large amounts of stolen crypto to addresses linked to the Huione Group, where the assets were allegedly cleaned and routed into the traditional banking system.
Blockchain analytics firms Chainalysis and Elliptic assisted the investigation alongside Google’s CyberCrime Investigation Team.
According to Elliptic, Huione’s ecosystem expanded beyond a marketplace and developed into a broader financial network. The group reportedly operated wallet services and activity across Ethereum, BNB Chain, and Tron. It also launched a stablecoin called USDH.
Billions in Losses Continue to Rise
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center recorded more than $7.2 billion in losses from cryptocurrency investment fraud during 2025 alone. Overall cybercrime losses reached more than $20 billion last year, marking a 26% increase from the previous year.
The Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) previously identified Huione Group as a primary money laundering concern under the USA Patriot Act. Regulators linked the group to laundering proceeds from investment scams, North Korea-related cyber thefts, and other forms of online fraud.
According to FinCEN, Huione-linked entities were involved in moving at least $4 billion in illicit funds between August 2021 and January 2025.
Related: Ireland’s 2026 Assessment Flags Crypto as a Very Significant Threat
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