🔴 Website 👉 https://u-s-news.com/
Telegram 👉 https://t.me/usnewscom_channel
American retirees lost billions of dollars to North Korean operatives posing as romantic interests in one of the largest scam operations ever uncovered by the Treasury Department.
Key Takeaways
- The Cambodia-based Huione Group, linked to North Korea, has stolen at least $4 billion from Americans through romance scams and cyber-heists since 2021.
- Scammers targeted victims through social media and dating apps, manipulating them into investing in fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes.
- The US Treasury Department has identified millions linked to North Korean operations and is working to block Huione’s access to the US financial system.
- Victims like Beth Hyland lost tens of thousands of dollars after being manipulated into sending money via bitcoin ATMs to scammers.
- The Treasury has designated Huione under Section 311 of the PATRIOT Act for lacking effective anti-money-laundering policies.
North Korean Criminal Enterprise Exploits Americans
In a major blow to American citizens, particularly vulnerable retirees, the Cambodia-based Huione Group with direct ties to North Korea has orchestrated one of the largest fraud operations in recent history. Operating since August 2021, this criminal enterprise has amassed a staggering $4 billion by exploiting unsuspecting Americans through elaborate romance scams and fraudulent investment schemes. The operation specifically targeted individuals on dating platforms and social media sites, building fake relationships to gain trust before convincing victims to invest in non-existent cryptocurrency opportunities.
The magnitude of this operation highlights the ongoing digital warfare against American citizens while our government’s attention and resources have been diverted to foreign conflicts and domestic agendas. The Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has identified at least $37 million linked directly to North Korean cyber-heists and an additional $336 million connected to romance and investment scams orchestrated by this group, revealing just how vulnerable our financial systems remain to foreign exploitation.
🇰🇵🇺🇸 NORTH KOREAN-LED CATFISH GANG SCAMS BILLIONS FROM AMERICANS
Since 2021, a shady gang tied to North Korea has been catfishing Americans out of billions with fake love stories and crypto lies.
Yeah—romance scams, but global and evil.
They used Cambodia’s Huione Group to… https://t.co/XE8SmK73ty pic.twitter.com/mJRfiH61DF
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 1, 2025
Treasury Department Takes Action
President Trump’s administration is now working to sever Huione’s access to the American financial system through a proposed federal rule. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has described Huione as “a preferred marketplace for malicious cyber actors and criminal syndicates,” acknowledging the severity of this threat to national security and the financial well-being of American citizens. The designation of Huione under Section 311 of the PATRIOT Act represents a significant step toward protecting Americans, as the group has consistently failed to implement effective anti-money-laundering policies or identify direct transfers from North Korean scam operations.
This action comes after years of lax enforcement against foreign digital threats that have been allowed to flourish while previous administrations focused on domestic surveillance and censorship of American citizens rather than protecting them from foreign exploitation. The current administration’s shift toward protecting Americans from international criminal enterprises represents a welcome change in priorities that aligns with putting America first in matters of national security and financial protection.
Real Victims, Real Losses
The human cost of these scams is devastating. Beth Hyland, one of many American victims, lost $26,000 after being manipulated by a scammer on Tinder who falsely claimed to be a freelance manager in need of funds. The scammer, later discovered to be based in Nigeria but potentially connected to the larger Huione operation, convinced Hyland to send money through bitcoin ATMs. Before realizing she was being scammed, Hyland had even considered withdrawing funds from her retirement account, which would have compounded her financial devastation.
Stories like Hyland’s are tragically common, with countless Americans having their life savings drained by these sophisticated international criminal networks. The Romance Scam Prevention Act has been introduced to require dating apps to notify users of potential scams, but this reactive approach falls short of addressing the root causes of why American citizens are being targeted with impunity by foreign actors. The lack of consequences for these international criminal enterprises has only emboldened them to expand their operations and target Americans with increasing sophistication.
Protecting American Citizens First
The Huione Group scandal reveals a troubling pattern of international exploitation that has gone unchecked for too long. While billions in taxpayer dollars have been sent overseas to fund foreign conflicts and interests, American citizens have been left vulnerable to sophisticated criminal enterprises operating with virtual immunity. The $4 billion stolen from Americans through these scams represents not just financial loss but a national security failure that demands a more comprehensive approach to protecting citizens from foreign threats.
As the Treasury Department works to cut off Huione’s access to American financial systems, citizens must remain vigilant against these sophisticated scams. The targeting of retirees and vulnerable Americans through romance scams represents a particularly insidious form of exploitation that preys on loneliness and trust. This case serves as a stark reminder that America’s security begins with protecting its citizens from foreign exploitation, whether through direct military threats or sophisticated digital scams designed to drain the savings of hardworking Americans.