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A US federal court has sentenced a fugitive to the maximum possible prison term for his role in a $73.6 million cryptocurrency scam that targeted victims via fake investment platforms and online scams.
This case highlights the growing risk of cross-border fraud in cryptocurrencies. Such fraudulent operations have led US authorities to intensify investigations and law enforcement against international money laundering operations.
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Anatomy of a $73 Million Cryptocurrency Scam
The Department of Justice said Darren Li, a dual citizen of China and Saint Kitts and Nevis, played a key role in… Cryptocurrency investment scam The international scams were managed from centers in Cambodia.
The operation was based on social engineering, andFake trading platforms Money laundering networks to steal money from victims in the United States. Prosecutors said no members have been charged in the conspiracy Contact the victims via Spam on social media sites, phone calls and online dating services.
After building trust through professional or romantic relationships, often using fully encrypted messaging apps, scammers… It directs victims to fake websites Designed to resemble legitimate cryptocurrency trading platforms.
Technology has allowed people to quickly connect with others who are miles away, but it has also made it easier for criminals to take advantage of innocent victims, said Bill Essay, chief U.S. attorney for the Central District of California. He stated that.
In other variants of this scheme, the scammers tell the victims that they represent technical support or customer service companies. They then pressure victims to transfer money via bank transfers or cryptocurrency platforms to solve fake computer problems or non-existent security threats.
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From arrest to escape: the fugitive’s journey
Lee was arrested in April 2024 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Pleaded guilty on November 12, 2024 to conspiracy To launder the proceeds from Cryptocurrency scams and related fraud crimes.
As part of the plea deal, he admitted that at least $73.6 million of the victims’ money was deposited into bank accounts controlled by him and his co-conspirators. Of this amount, at least $59.8 million passed through American shell companies that were used to launder this money.
Lee also revealed that he directed others to open US bank accounts for shell companies, monitored international and domestic money transfers, and oversaw the conversion of stolen funds into digital currencies to hide their source and ownership.
Prosecutors said Lee is the first defendant in the case to be convicted of this level of involvement. Eight of his accomplices have already pleaded guilty.
However, before sentencing, Lee fled. Prosecutors said he cut off his electronic ankle monitoring device in December 2025 and fled. He is still a fugitive from justice.
Despite his disappearance, the court proceeded with the sentence. On February 9, 2026, a federal judge sentenced Lee to the statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
A he said. Tyson Duva, Assistant Attorney General in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, said the Criminal Division will work with our law enforcement partners around the world to ensure that Lee returns to the United States to serve his full sentence.
This sentence represents the latest step in the Department of Justice’s broad campaign against global scam centers and scams related to cryptocurrency. Last month, Pinkrypto reported that a US court sentenced a Chinese national to nearly 4 years in prison. The court also ordered him to pay more than $26 million in compensation for his involvement in a digital fraud amounting to $36.9 million.
