The Brief

Our client reported a cryptocurrency scam to IC3.GOV (Internet Crime Complaint Center) but didn’t get a response. Frustrated by the lack of progress, the client sought Rexxfield’s assistance. Our investigators conducted a free triage and determined that the case had good prospects because it involved West African perpetrators, and because Rexxfield works directly with various West African Law Enforcement Agencies.

In these cases, Rexxfield usually acts as an intermediary which allows scam victims from the USA and other western nations, to initiate criminal investigations directly within the criminal’s jurisdiction. We avoided bureaucratic delays that could have hindered the quick and effective response of private crime-fighting agencies, which leads to greater success in responding to crimes, and minimizing losses.

Objective

Our goal was to identify the perpetrators, who we discovered were based in Nigeria, and recover the stolen cryptocurrency. Because of the urgency and potential success, we decided to take the case, especially because our founder, Michael Roberts, was scheduled to visit Nigeria’s Economic & Financial Crimes Commission headquarters the following week.

Outcome

On-Site Investigation in Nigeria:

• With our investigator on the ground in Nigeria, we collaborated with local authorities.
• Rexxfield’s investigation identified the suspects and Nigerian detectives from EFCC.gov.ng found two of them.

Nigerian Arrests and Pursuit:

• Within two weeks, two of the suspects were arrested, while the third remained on the run.

Cryptocurrency Courtesy Freeze:

• Rexxfield successfully requested a courtesy freeze on the stolen funds, amounting to 9.15 bitcoin.

US Law Enforcement Involvement:

• With the original federal agency report still without a response, Rexxfield referred the case to a sergeant with the Utah State Bureau of Investigation, who acted swiftly to subpoena WhatsApp for all the contacts in the criminals address book, we used this evidence to identify other victims.
• Utah State Bureau of Investigation was able to extend Rexxfield courtesy freeze on the 9.15 BTC into a permanent freeze.
• The 9.15 BTC was transferred from the exchange trust wallet, to the State of Utah’s BTC wallet, pending court ordered return to the victim.
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Cryptocurrency Recovery

In the first week of 2024, just three months after hiring Rexxfield, 9.15 Bitcoin, worth around 400,000 USD, was returned to the Utah government’s cryptocurrency wallet. The BTC had gained significant value during the pendency of the case.

We are waiting for judicial approval to return the seized cryptocurrency to the client, which will bring a successful end to the case.

This case underscores the effectiveness of strategic collaboration between private investigators and law enforcement agencies in combating global cryptocurrency fraud and swiftly returning stolen assets to victims.

Learn more about our crypto recovery investigations