How Can Attorney Leslie Sammis Can Provide Early Intervention before the Government Hardens its Theory?

If your USDT was frozen by Tether based on a request by a law enforcement agency in the United States, consider hiring attorney Leslie Sammis. She can provide early intervention solutions to speed up the release of the funds before the government hardens its theory. Ms. Sammis calls this phase of the case the “pre-seizure investigative,” that occurs while Tether is acting on an agency’s request to freeze the USDT before a warrant is served and before any forfeiture action is filed in the U.S. District Court. During this phase, the federal agency has not yet issued a personal “notice of seizure” or published any notice on the forfeiture.gov website. Ms. Sammis can help you figure out the civil forfeiture theory being developed by the Government which might include § 981(a)(1)(A) for money laundering or § 981(a)(1)(C) for “specified unlawful activity” such as drug trafficking crimes. The statute-of-limitations might already be running. Attorney Leslie Sammis can help you file a verified claim for court action with the appropriate federal agency or United States Attorney’s Office to trigger the 90 day statutory deadline that forces the government to begin judicial action. If the Government is unable to meet that deadline, the property must be returned to you without any further delay. Without triggering that deadline, you might be waiting years for some resolution. For innocent owners, we can help you provide information to the federal agency and AUSA to convince them that you did nothing wrong and the freeze should be lifted. If the AUSA knows you are likely to contest the forfeiture action in court and “substantially prevail,” the AUSA might decide to “decline” the case and order the seizing agency to release the USDT.

Which U.S. agencies ask Tether to freeze USDT?

The federal law enforcement agencies that are most likely to ask Tether to freeze USDT for a forfeiture action include: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) United States Secret Service (USSS) IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Even agencies at the state level are beginning to seize USDT. Recently, Florida’s Attorney General’s Office was successful in seizing USDT under the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act, which is a state law and not a federal law. Most experienced crypto asset attorneys think those actions are illegal since the authorities have no subject matter jurisdiction under Florida law. It can be argued that the authorities in Florida are seizing property illegally, but preventing the claimant from successfully making a claim by invoking the fugitive disentitlement doctrine. To invoke that doctrine, the Florida Statewide Prosecutor’s Office will obtain an arrest warrant after filing a direct information charging the wallet owner with a crime as a “money laundering.” Many of those claimants are innocent owners but never get their day in court, often because they cannot find a qualified attorney. Ms. Sammis is one of few attorneys engaged in such litigation. She recently litigated such a case in which the a judge in Wakulla County, FL, found there was no subject matter jurisdiction and required more than $500,000 in BTC to be returned to the client’s wallet. Then the court ordered the Florida Attorney General’s Office to pay a portion of her attorney fees since she won the adversarial preliminary hearing which is a procedure unique to Florida law.

Home » Asset Seizure / Asset Forfeiture » Cryptocurrency » Tether

USDT Frozen by Tether in Tron (TRC-20) Wallets

The attorneys at Sammis Law Firm are experienced representing clients after a law enforcement agency in the United States causes the funds to be frozen or seized. We are particularly experienced with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) causing Tether funds to be frozen or seized via their Cyber Support Section (SCC.Seizure@dea.gov).

Tether might flag Tron (TRC-20) address wallets identified during law enforcement criminal investigations in the United States. If Tether confirms the suspicious activity, it might freeze the USDT by putting the balance on a “blacklist” or ban/monitor list for USDT/USDC (stablecoins) on Tron. As a result, while the Tron (TRC-20) address is blacklisted or under monitoring, the funds are frozen or subject to restrictions by the issuers or by platforms dealing with stablecoins. Exchanges, wallets, and services will refuse transactions to or from this address.

If Tether Limited Inc. (Tether) is served with an order signed by a judge to seized the USDT, it might “burn” and then reissue an equivalent amount of USDT tokens to a wallet controlled by a federal law enforcement agency in the United States as part of the civil asset forfeiture process.

After the USDT is frozen or seized, the owner of the restricted USDT might be told by the Tether Support Team to contact the lead federal agent assigned to the case. Sometimes, Tether will ask the USDT owner to contact the lead agent investigating the case, usually by providing an email address such as SCC.Seizure@dea.gov.

Tether works with authorities in the United States to freeze USDT involved in fraudulent schemes money laundering or drug trafficking operations. Tether has worked with all of the federal agencies in the United States that seize USDT including the DEA, FBI, Secret Service (USSS) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Attorneys are beginning to bring lawsuits against Tether to stop these unlawful actions, which might be the only way to stop Tether from acting unreasonably in freezing USDT so it can be seized for forfeiture by law enforcement officers.

Attorney for USDT Frozen by Tether

Attorney Leslie Sammis has extensive experience representing clients—both U.S. and foreign—whose USDT has been frozen by Tether at the request of U.S. law-enforcement agencies, often before any formal seizure or forfeiture action has been filed. Early intervention is critical in these matters, particularly where jurisdictional, timing, and innocent-owner issues may be present.

During your initial consultation, attorney Leslie Sammis can look at the exact USDT network (TRON or Ethereum), the wallet address frozen, the date of freeze, why Tether said about which agency caused the freeze, whether a seizure warrant has been signed by a judge and provided to Tether, and whether any U.S. court case or seizure notice exists.

Attorney Leslie Sammis provides an initial assessment and advise on next steps, including the best way to contact and share information with the relevant federal agent and Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA). To facilitate that review, it would be helpful to have the following information (to the extent available):

The blockchain/network involved (e.g., TRON or Ethereum)
The affected wallet address(es)
Date the freeze occurred
Any identifying information regarding the requesting agency or agent
Whether any seizure notice, warrant, or court filing has been received

During your initial consultation with attorney Leslie Sammis, you can discuss the best strategy to get the USDT released. We can help you preserve statute-of-limitations arguments, force the government to commit to a theory, and possibly resolve the freeze without forfeiture ever being filed. Ideally, we can help you resolve the case quietly and with no finding of wrongdoing.

The attorneys at Sammis Law Firm focus on criminal defense and asset forfeiture cases. We understand why federal agencies freeze or seize cryptocurrency as part of their criminal investigation or civil asset forfeiture proceeding.

We know how to request the freeze is lifted or respond to the seizure. We can help you file a verified claim for court action on the appropriate agency to start the 90 day deadline for the government to either release the funds or file a complaint for forfeiture in the appropriate U.S. District Court.

If an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) files a complaint for forfeiture in the U.S. District Court, we can help you file a judicial claim, answer to the complaint, and motion to dismiss the forfeiture proceeding so the asset is returned to you.

The attorneys at Sammis Law Firm can also help you determine whether you should bring a lawsuit for money damages against Tether (Tether Holdings Limited, Tether Operations Limited, Tether Limited, or Tether International Limited) for:

Breach of Fiduciary Duty
Unjust Enrichment
Conversion

Use the evaluation form on the right side of his website to provide your contact information to request a confidential consultation to discuss your case with an experienced attorney.

Call 813-250-0500.

How Does Tether Freeze USDT?

When USDT is “frozen,” it means Tether has blacklisted a wallet address which renders the tokens unusable. Tether might take this action due to any of the following reasons:

suspected illegal activity such as theft of money laundering; or
at the request of law enforcement, usually because law enforcement has obtained a seizure warrant for the contents of the frozen wallet.

Although the funds remain visible, the wallet’s owner remains unable to transfer the contents of the wallet. To get the contents of the wallet unfrozen, an attorney can help you provide information to law enforcement and determine whether they have obtained a seizure warrant and the government’s authority and basis for that action.

Examples of Tether’s Freezing USDT for Law Enforcement

The U.S. government has been actively freezing and seizing USDT as part of civil and criminal asset forfeiture proceedings with cooperation from Tether, the issuer of the USDT stablecoin. By freezing or seizing USDT, the federal agencies can target financial crimes including fraud, drug trafficking, and money laundering.

Tether has frozen more than $2.8 billion in USDT across more than 4,500 wallets, including more than 2,750 freezes coordinated with law enforcement agencies in the United States. The wallet-freezing policy adopted by Tether comply with regulatory guidelines including the OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List.

In March of 2025, Tether and the U.S. Secret Service froze $23 million allegedly linked to sanctioned Russian exchange Garantex, followed by $9 million linked to the Bybit hack. In June of 2025, Tether worked with the Department of Judice (DOJ) to freeze around $225 million USDT in a law enforcement and civil asset forfeiture action.

In March of 2025, Tether froze $9,000,000 related to the Bybit exchange hack. The case began in 2022, and ended in late 2023. To assist the authorities, Tether froze, burned, and reissued $9,000,000 in USDT from a pig butchering scam.

In June of 2025, federal prosecutors filed a civil forfeiture complaint to seize approximately $225,000,000 worth of USDT which were allegedly involved in cryptocurrency investment fraud and money laundering. Tether and the crypto exchange OKX froze the assets in cooperation with federal law enforcement agencies in the United States. After freezing the USDT, Tether “burned” the frozen tokens and reissued the equivalent amount to a U.S. government-controlled wallet.

In July of 2025, the the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Tether announced a civil forfeiture action targeting $2,000,000 in digital currency, including $1,600,000 in USDT, linked to a Gaza-based financial network.

In October of 2024, federal prosecutors in the Northern District of Ohio filed a civil complaint to forfeit $200,000 in USDT. Those assets were traced from a victim in Ohio after their Bitcoin was fraudulently transferred from their wallet. After the transfer, the fraudsters converted the Bitcoin to USDT, and Tether froze the funds at law enforcement’s request. Tether then “burned” the frozen tokens and reissued the equivalent amount to a government-controlled wallet for potential restitution to the victim.

In September of 2025, federal prosecutors filed a civil forfeiture complaint against $868,247 in Tether (USDT), alleging the funds were the proceeds of multiple cryptocurrency-related confidence scams. The complaint detailed how the funds were laundered through a complex web of cryptocurrency wallets.

In September of 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts filed a civil forfeiture action to recover over $584,000 in cryptocurrency, including USDT, from a wallet allegedly controlled by an Iranian national.

Read more about frozen and seized USDT for forfeiture.

What is Tether?

Tether (“USDT”) is a token issued by Tether Limited. Tether is a decentralized, peer-to-peer form of virtual currency having no association with banks or governments.

Users purchase USDT, which is stored in a user’s digital or cryptocurrency wallet (a “wallet”). USDT is generally considered a “stablecoin,” which is intended to closely approximate the value of the U.S. Dollar and thus can act as a virtual currency store of value similar to the U.S. Dollar.

Stablecoins help achieve their price stability via collateralization (backing) or through algorithmic mechanisms of buying and selling the reference asset or its derivatives. Tether Limited (“Tether”) is the company that manages the smart contracts and the treasury (i.e., the funds held in reserve) for USDT tokens.

For this reason, cryptocurrency traders, both legitimate and illegitimate, will often convert other digital currencies into USDT for temporary or long-term storage, as by design, USDT typically does not experience the dramatic swings in value seen in other digital currencies

How Federal Agencies Freeze USDT on Tether

If you contact the agency that triggered the freeze or seizure of the Tether account, you might receive a generic email. In a recent case involving the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Cyber Support Section at SCC.Seizure@dea.gov, the first email provided:

Good Afternoon,

The United States government has frozen your listed Tether address. If you have a legal interest in this account, please provide your contact information as your ID did not come through on your email. If you are represented by legal counsel, please provide their contact information as well. If you believe your assets were frozen or seized in error, you may provide the DEA with the following information. This information will be used to confirm your identity and evaluate your claim. Providing this information is voluntarily and does not guarantee your funds will be returned:

Your full name/contact information (address/phone number/email/tether address);

A selfie-style photograph;

An image of your passport or other identity documents;

Information about the transaction(s) at issue, including information about the counterparty;

Screenshot(s) showing that you have access to the frozen address(es); and

Any other relevant information about the transaction(s) that you would like to share.

If you would like to receive notice regarding forthcoming forfeiture actions in the United States regarding these funds, please respond to this email with your contact information and/or the contact information for your attorney. That should include your full name and the physical address where notice should be sent. If you’d prefer to receive notice via email, please indicate that in your response and specify the email address to which notice should be sent.

Regards,

Drug Enforcement Administration

Cyber Support Section

If you receive such an email, it might be best to hire an experienced forfeiture attorney to help you communicate with the federal agency so that your funds can be unfrozen. If the funds were already seized, an attorney can help you respond to any complaint for forfeiture filed in the U.S. District Court.

In addition to the DEA, many USDT seizures for forfeiture on the TRON network involve IRS-CI (Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations).

Tether Policy on Law Enforcement Requests to Freeze Assets

The Tether website lists their policy on law enforcement requests for information, or to freeze assets pending seizure, as follows:

Last updated: January 3, 2018

From time to time, Tether receives information requests about its customers from law enforcement agencies around the world. This page is here to provide you and law enforcement with information about how these requests are processed.

When Tether is contacted, law enforcement is generally interested in two types of data: information about customers’ identities and information about their activities using Tether Tokens. As well, as part of their investigation, law enforcement may be interested in requesting that an address is frozen.

When information requests are received, Tether requires that it be accompanied by appropriate legal process. This can vary from place to place. For example, production orders, search warrants, and subpoenas, but also requests for voluntary disclosure of data may all amount to legal process. Tether reviews each order and request for voluntary disclosure to determine that it has valid legal basis and that any response is narrowly tailored to ensure that only the data to which law enforcement is entitled is provided. Similarly, requests to freeze Tether addresses should be accompanied by appropriate legal process.

Tether also reserves the right to make disclosures to authorities in order to protect itself, any Associates, and its customers.

Tether welcomes inquiries from law enforcement agencies about its policies and procedures. Please contact Tether at inforequests@tether.to.

Recent Example of a Notice of Seizure

You can find the notice of seizure listed on the forfeiture.gov website by searching for the term “USDT.” For a search on Friday, January 30, 2026, you can find nine pages of notices. The total amount of Tether (USDT) on the list provided is 11,105,804.14. Since Tether is a stablecoin pegged to the US Dollar, the approximate value is $11,105,804.14 USD.

Total Seized USDT: 11,105,804.14

Recent notices of seizure issued by DEA for USDT include:

DISTRICT OF VIRGIN ISLANDS

26-DEA-724780: 125,707.575161 Tether (USDT) Approx. VL: $125,707.57, seized by the DEA on December 11, 2025 from Unidentified in British Virgin Islands for forfeiture pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 881.

26-DEA-724781: 359,737.369636 Tether (USDT) Approx. VL: $359,737.36, seized by the DEA on December 11, 2025 from Unidentified in British Virgin Islands for forfeiture pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 881.

26-DEA-724783: 420,995.19714 Tether (USDT) Approx. VL: $420,995.19, seized by the DEA on December 11, 2025 from Unidentified in British Virgin Islands for forfeiture pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 881.

26-DEA-724952: 354,000 Tether (USDT) Approx. VL: $354,000.00, seized by the DEA on December 04, 2025 from Unidentified in British Virgin Islands for forfeiture pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 881.

26-DEA-724953: 213,722.239978 Tether (USDT) Approx. VL: $213,722.23, seized by the DEA on December 04, 2025 from Unidentified in British Virgin Islands for forfeiture pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 881.

26-DEA-724955: 87,409.62885 Tether (USDT) Approx. VL: $87,409.62, seized by the DEA on December 04, 2025 from Unidentified in British Virgin Islands for forfeiture pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 881.

26-DEA-724958: 225,000 Tether (USDT) Approx. VL: $225,000.00, seized by the DEA on December 04, 2025 from Unidentified in British Virgin Islands for forfeiture pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 881.

26-DEA-725016: 344,000 Tether (USDT) Approx. VL: $344,000.00, seized by the DEA on December 04, 2025 from Unidentified in British Virgin Islands for forfeiture pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 881.

CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

26-DEA-726218: 42,327.428323 Tether (USDT), Approx. VL: $42,317.78, seized by the DEA on November 07, 2025 from Unidentified in El Salvador for forfeiture pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 881.

Seizures by the FBI of USDT include:

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

25-FBI-005737: 183,734.318495 in USDT from Account XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXd412 held in the name of an unknown account holder at Tether, valued at $183,715.94, seized by the FBI on January 13, 2026 from MIAX in San Francisco, CA for forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(C).

DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

25-FBI-005552: 52774.124121 USDT from virtual address XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX58df held at Tether, valued at $52,784.68, seized by the FBI on November 06, 2025 from Tether in Phoenix, AZ for forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(C).

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

25-FBI-005632: $14,208.00 U.S. Currency from various locations at 1000 12th St. Apt. 501 Washington, D.C., and $135.00 from a 2012 Mazda, VIN: JM3TB3D3DV0C0335110, registered to and in the possession of Melvina Rawlings at 1000 12th St. Apt. 501 Washington, D.C., valued at $14,343.00, seized by the FBI on August 26, 2025 for forfeiture pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 881.

25-FBI-006314: $8,247.00 U.S. Currency from 4228 Benning Rd. NE Apt.102 Washington DC, seized by the FBI on August 26, 2025 from Leonard Edwards for forfeiture pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 881.

26-FBI-001331: 175,392.461562 Tether (USDT) stored within or associated with multiple virtual currency addresses in the custody of Tether Limited dba Tether Operations Limited, valued at $175,445.10, seized by the FBI on December 02, 2025 in Washington, DC for forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(A). Items described as: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxKv74, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxWUBB, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxJkGT, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxuFWs, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxhK9t.

WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON

23-FBI-006014: 38,717.82 in USDT seized from wallet XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXd1A9 belonging to Yanhui Zhu, valued at $38,721.69, seized by the FBI on July 05, 2023 for forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(C).

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

25-FBI-004975: 102977.81814949 USDT seized from OKX Account XXXXXXXXXXXXXX6812 held in the name of Jiachen Liu, valued at $102,988.12, seized by the FBI on July 29, 2025 in N/A, CA for forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(C).

DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT

25-FBI-005279: 25,119.295109 USDT from Account XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXE35d at Tether, valued at $25,114.27, seized by the FBI on October 30, 2025 in New Haven, CT for forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(C).

DISTRICT OF HAWAII

25-FBI-004233: 237,284.929601 USDT seized from Tether Compliance from Ethereum Network address XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX0516, valued at $237,332.39, seized by the FBI on August 07, 2025 in Honolulu, HI for forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(C).

EASTERN DISTRICT OF KENTUCKY 25-FBI-001445: 332,017.420458 USDT seized from Tether Compliance from wallet XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX7e52, valued at $331,951.02, seized by the FBI on August 05, 2025 from Tether Compliance in Lexington, KY for forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(C).

25-FBI-001446: 70,150 USDT seized from Tether Compliance from wallet XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXe6D4, valued at $70,135.97, seized by the FBI on August 05, 2025 from Tether Compliance in Lexington, KY for forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(C).

EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA

25-FBI-006101: 330,086.671508 USDT from Account # xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx6btk8y2, valued at $330,185.70, seized by the FBI on September 11, 2025 from Tether in El Salvador for forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1) (C).

EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA

24-FBI-008135: 41 Verisign Inc. Domains, valued at $41.00, seized by the FBI on September 27, 2024 from Verisign Inc. in Reston, VA for forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(A). Items described as: accutanebb.com, valued at $1.00; albuteroltab.com, valued at $1.00; allowdoorinto.com, valued at $1.00; baijiapaintbrush.com, valued at $1.00; baricitinc.com, valued at $1.00; cbdhempoilww.com, valued at $1.00; cbdonlineww.com, valued at $1.00; cenforcep.com, valued at $1.00; cialismgz.com, valued at $1.00; delitky.com, valued at $1.00; divisionintro.com, valued at $1.00; dompurifycheerio.com, valued at $1.00; fastloginway.com, valued at $1.00; fasttruncatedoor.com, valued at $1.00; finduscore.com, valued at $1.00; gateallowsearch.com, valued at $1.00; ghxsjyk.com, valued at $1.00; gnfamotidine.com, valued at $1.00; gnibuprofen.com, valued at $1.00; govdoorsec.com, valued at $1.00; hempcbdww.com, valued at $1.00; inthetrustview.com, valued at $1.00; ithostprotocol.com, valued at $1.00 ivermectint.com, valued at $1.00; londonshowcorp.com, valued at $1.00; maxlliance.com, valued at $1.00; myavtsim.com, valued at $1.00; newtransfersearch.com, valued at $1.00; outviewmachine.com, valued at $1.00; setitcloud.com, valued at $1.00; smartloginbreak.com, valued at $1.00; smartscontract.com, valued at $1.00; tipstoway.com, valued at $1.00; toolpointtrim.com, valued at $1.00; 1 trustvaluespath.com, valued at $1.00; verificationtrim.com, valued at $1.00; viewwaypath.com, valued at $1.00; waylogintexas.com, valued at $1.00; webgovview.com, valued at $1.00; wingscamein.com, valued at $1.00; incomcorporate.com, valued at $1.00.

26-FBI-000030: 60,071.821 Tether (USDT) from Account No. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXDCe1 held at Tether, valued at $60,083.84, seized by the FBI on October 22, 2025 from Tether in Manassas, VA for forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(A).

26-FBI-000031: 8,504.265577 Tether (USDT) from Account No. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX6358 held at Tether, valued at $8,505.97, seized by the FBI on October 22, 2025 from Tether in Manassas, VA for forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(A).

26-FBI-000032: 27,435.781983 Tether (USDT) from Account No. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX9337 held at Tether, valued at $27,441.27, seized by the FBI on October 22, 2025 from Tether in Manassas, VA for forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(A).

26-FBI-000033: 45,491.307707 Tether (USDT) from Account No. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX9d7a held at Tether, valued at $45,500.41, seized by the FBI on October 22, 2025 from Tether in Manassas, VA for forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(A).

26-FBI-000034: 21,599.260515 Tether (USDT) from Account No. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX5Fmp held at Tether, valued at $21,603.58, seized by the FBI on October 22, 2025 from Tether in Manassas, VA for forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(A).

26-FBI-000035: 148,463.820886 Tether (USDT) from Account No. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXbzpn held at Tether, valued at $148,493.51, seized by the FBI on October 22, 2025 from Tether in Manassas, VA for forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(A).

26-FBI-000036: 1,152.98925 Tether (USDT) from Account # XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXRhXV held at Tether, valued at $1,153.22, seized by the FBI on October 22, 2025 from Tether in Manassas, VA for forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(A).

26-FBI-000037: 193,266.77 Tether (USDT) from Account # XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXYdwU held at Tether, valued at $193,305.42, seized by the FBI on October 22, 2025 from Tether in Manassas, VA for forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(A).

The United States Attorney’s Office filed these notices to forfeit USDT:

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT COURT CASE NUMBER: 3:26-CV-00028 OAW; NOTICE OF FORFEITURE ACTION Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 981, the United States filed a verified Complaint for Forfeiture against the following property: 602,618 USDT seized from account# XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX2n2a at Tether (26-FBI-000219) which was seized from Tether Compliance on October 14, 2025 at via email, located in New Haven, CT

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS COURT CASE NUMBER: 4:25-CV-01315; NOTICE OF FORFEITURE ACTION Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 981, the United States filed a verified Complaint for Forfeiture against the following property: 4,230,250.809 USDT (25-ICE-001819) which was seized from Tether Limited on November 06, 2024. Tether deposit addresses: TCm8KpVmsdmxN2XdCbjfd3LojVZvKNNXzq; TGZRXdDqeVHUq7CJsRwCDoiBKMiEJY7EGW; TL5mAVHa6u7ywZUv4XWFiskNJkq7Y4XsWL; TKYNeiWCuU9jEGCjNhE98wPcDcq1LnFsHy; TTisQyMK4pdwb8gtd8V62gLavLV7uLKGAV; and TLpL1z7ARXRPfKBjFacRPUYgeGgEbnXCa1

The U.S. Secret Service (USSS) filed these notices to forfeit USDT:

EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN 205-2025-004-0001, 312,354.015359 USDT from Third-Party Virtual Currency Address 0x42D40a19BFb9d0D7aabF694FEd138332Af1312Ac valued at $312,212.52 seized on December 18, 2025 in British Virgin Islands, 1110, MI from Unknown Owner

EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN 205-2026-001-0001, 5,099.00 USDT from Binance User ID #49747379 Belonging to …valued at $5,096.12 seized on December 24, 2025 in Ile Du Port, Mahe, Seychelles, MI from ….

Conclusion – If Your USDT Was Frozen by Tether at the Request of U.S. Law Enforcement

Attorney Leslie Sammis regularly represents U.S. and international clients whose USDT has been frozen by Tether before any forfeiture case is filed, often without a seizure warrant or notice. These cases require immediate analysis of:

Which agency requested the freeze
Whether the U.S. has in rem jurisdiction
CAFRA deadlines and statute-of-limitations issues
Innocent owner and third-party defenses

Early intervention can determine whether a forfeiture case is ever filed. In these pre-forfeiture cases, we might help you stop the forfeiture from ever being filed in the first place.

When the government freezes USDT it can remain that way for years. The best way to speed up the process might be to file a verified claim. Only an experienced attorney can help you understand the different options and which one might be best in your particular circumstance.

Attorney Leslie Sammis works co-counsels with other attorneys in other jurisdictions, represents non-U.S. residents and foreign nationals, and handles cross-border cryptocurrency forfeiture matters.

For more information use the evaluation form on the right side of this website or call 813-250-0500.

This article was last updated on Thursday, February 5, 2026.

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$2,170,000 Binance Account Unfrozen

Forfeiture Investigation

We were retained on August 8, 2025, to represent clients with a Binance account worth over $2,170,000 in USDT. The clients retained us after 33 months of requesting information from Binance.com customer service about why their account was frozen only to be repeatedly told… read more »

Appellate Win

Forfeiture Appeal to the 11th Circuit

On August 20, 2025, the Institute for Justice (IJ) and Sammis Law Firm just won an appeal in the 11th Circuit. At the trial level, we took a case in which a man had $8,500 seized by DEA at the Atlanta Airport. Although such… read more »

$500,000 of Bitcoin Returned

Cryptocurrency Forfeiture

On June 17, 2025, the Honorable J. Layne Smith, Circuit Judge in Wakulla County, FL, ordered the sheriff’s office to return the seized cryptocurrency, including over $500,000 worth of Bitcoin (BTC), to our client. Shortly after the cryptocurrency was seized and our law firm… read more »

Vehicle Recovered

Vehicle Seizure

Our client’s employee was arrested while operating a work vehicle, which was subsequently seized by the Sheriff’s Office under the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act. We demanded an adversarial preliminary hearing to determine if probable cause existed for the seizure and provided proof that the… read more »

*The case results discussed here do not necssarily reflect the potential outcomes of other cases. The facts and circumstances of each case are unique and must be evaluated and handled on their own merit.

Cryptocurrency

Tampa Office:

Sammis Law Firm, P.A.
1005 N. Marion St.
Tampa, FL 33602

(813) 250-0500

map + directions

Clearwater Office:

14010 Roosevelt Blvd. #701
Clearwater, FL 33762

(727) 210-7004

map + directions

New Port Richey Office:

7509 Little Rd.
New Port Richey, FL 34654

(727) 807-6392

map + directions

“The experience I had with Sammis Law firm in May 2022 was exceptional. I was contacted by Joshua M and he was the absolute best at his job and very professional. He kept me informed every step of the way with my case, and he worked hard in getting my charges of domestic assault dismissed. Thank you Joshua and Sammis Law Firm. Their paralegal Danielle was also very amazing.”

Kimmy

A Google user

“Working with Sammis Law Firm was an absolute pleasure from start to finish. Their professionalism, attention to detail, and dedication to their clients is unparalleled. The outcome of my case was extremely satisfactory, and I attribute that success to the hard work and dedication of the team at Sammis Law Firm. I am so grateful to have had them by my side, and I cannot recommend them highly enough. If you are in need of legal assistance, do not hesitate to reach out to Sammis Law Firm. They will fight for you every step of the way, just as they did for me.”

Sebastian

A Google user

“I would highly recommend Leslie to anyone in need of legal services. I couldn’t have done it without you!”

Jony T

A Google user

“Her knowledge of the law, and her exceptional communication skills, made it easy to navigate the complex legal system. I would highly recommend Leslie to anyone in need of legal services. I couldn’t have done it without you!”

Katty D

A Google user

“Leslie Sammis was extremely professional and provided guidance and support every step of the way. Her knowledge of the law, and her exceptional communication skills, made it easy to navigate the complex legal system. I would highly recommend Leslie to anyone in need of legal services. I couldn’t have done it without you!”

Ryan A

A Google user

USDT Frozen by Tether in Tron (TRC-20) Wallets

Attorney for USDT Frozen by Tether

How Does Tether Freeze USDT?

Examples of Tether’s Freezing USDT for Law Enforcement

What is Tether?

How Federal Agencies Freeze USDT on Tether

Tether Policy on Law Enforcement Requests to Freeze Assets

Recent Example of a Notice of Seizure

Conclusion – If Your USDT Was Frozen by Tether at the Request of U.S. Law Enforcement

Free Consultation

Case Results

USSS Returns $925,121.82 USDT Seized from a Binance Account

Forfeiture of Crypto

$2,170,000 Binance Account Unfrozen

Forfeiture Investigation

Appellate Win

Forfeiture Appeal to the 11th Circuit

$500,000 of Bitcoin Returned

Cryptocurrency Forfeiture

Vehicle Recovered

Vehicle Seizure

Asset forfeiture

Cryptocurrency

Office Locations

Tampa Office:

Clearwater Office:

New Port Richey Office:

Client Reviews