Tether, TRON, and TRM Labs freeze $100m worth of criminal crypto

The T3 Financial Crime Unit, a joint effort by Tether, TRON, and TRM Labs, has frozen over $100 million in criminal assets.

Launched in August 2024, the T3 Financial Crime Unit, also known as the T3 FCU, has rapidly become a model for public-private partnerships in blockchain security.

According to a Tether (USDT) release, the unit collaborates with law enforcement agencies worldwide to identify and disrupt criminal networks involved in money laundering, investment fraud, blackmail, and terrorism financing.

These crimes have long been a concern for regulators as digital assets gain mainstream popularity.

“Criminals now have 100 million reasons to think twice before using TRON,” said Justin Sun, founder of the TRON blockchain. “T3 FCU’s rapid success in freezing criminal assets sends an unmistakable message: if you’re using USDT on TRON for crime, you will be caught.”

T3 Financial Crime Unit

The T3 Financial Crime Unit was started to collaborate on combating illicit activity related to USDT on the TRON blockchain. The T3 FCU monitors transactions on the TRON (TRX) blockchain, analyzing millions of transactions across five continents. 

In total, the T3 FCU has reviewed more than $3 billion in USDT transactions. This comprehensive monitoring enables the unit to detect suspicious activities and freeze criminal assets in real time.

“By working closely with authorities across jurisdictions, Tether has been instrumental in freezing criminal assets and ensuring that bad actors do not exploit stablecoins like USDT,” Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said.