Crypto Scam Impersonating Trump Committee Steals $250,300

A Nigerian national has been accused of stealing $250,000 in cryptocurrency by impersonating Steve Witkoff, co-chair of the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee. On December 24, 2024, the scammer sent a deceptive email to a victim, demanding a cryptocurrency transfer for committee use. The email address used, @t47lnaugural.com, closely mimicked the legitimate domain @t47inaugural.com, with a subtle replacement of the lowercase “i” with a lowercase “l.” This minor alteration deceived the victim, who transferred 250,300 USDT.ETH into the scammer's crypto account, believing the funds were for the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee.

Within two hours, the scammer transferred the cryptocurrency to other wallets in an attempt to launder the funds. Through blockchain analysis, the FBI identified 40,353 USDT.ETH, which the U.S. has targeted in civil forfeiture proceedings. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Authorities were able to recover only a fraction of the stolen $250,300.

This incident highlights the rising trend of impersonation scams, which cost Americans billions of dollars annually. Cryptocurrency scams, in particular, are an emerging problem. Steven J. Assistant Director Jensen, who leads the FBI Washington Field Office, emphasized the importance of vigilance. He advised checking email addresses carefully and never sending assets to unknown individuals. Such fraud can be reported to the Internet Crime Complaint Center.

The Justice Department's efforts underscore the challenges of combating crypto fraud. With the assistance of Tether, authorities retrieved $40,300 through blockchain investigations. The case illustrates the sophistication of business email compromise scams, where criminals exploit trust to steal money. The civil forfeiture complaint filed by the DOJ aims to punish culprits and recover losses for victims.

The scam demonstrates the precision of current fraud strategies, using an email domain that closely mimics the real one. Victims often do not realize the deception until it is too late to recover the funds. The FBI recommends scrutinizing the URLs of websites and email addresses, as fraudsters exploit small differences to appear more legitimate. This incident is part of an extended trend of cryptocurrency-related frauds, with millions of stolen crypto seized in 2025 alone.

To guard against such fraud, the FBI suggests caution in accepting unsolicited investment offers, particularly those involving cryptocurrency. With the rising popularity of digital currencies, fraudsters are targeting unsuspecting donors and investors. Raising awareness among the population is crucial to combat this growing threat.