Tether Freezes $225M Linked to Human Trafficking Syndicate Amid DOJ Investigation

• Stablecoin issuer Tether has frozen $225 million worth of its own stablecoin following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) into an international human trafficking syndicate in Southeast Asia.
• The investigation used blockchain analysis tools provided by Chainalysis and lasted for months.
• This freeze is the largest-ever of a stablecoin, according to a press release.
• The crime syndicate is connected to the "pig butchering" scam, which cost U.S. citizens $3.3 billion last year, as reported by the FBI.
• The frozen tokens were held in self-custodied wallets and did not belong to Tether customers.
• Tether aims to set a new standard for safety within the crypto space through proactive engagement with global law enforcement agencies and transparency.
• Last month, Tether also froze 32 crypto addresses associated with terrorism and warfare in Ukraine and Israel.

The article discusses Tether's actions in freezing its own stablecoin following an investigation into a human trafficking syndicate. The sentiment is neutral, providing factual information about the incident.