DOJ seizes Huione Group cloud computing account used to launder billions in fraud proceeds

The U.S. Justice Department has seized a cloud computing account used by subsidiaries of the Cambodia-based Huione Group, an organization that has been accused of laundering billions of dollars in cryptocurrency fraud proceeds. 

"Today’s seizure strikes a blow against one of the world’s most prolific criminal marketplaces," said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, in an announcement on Tuesday. 

According to Duva, the Huione Group used the seized cloud computing account as part of “a technological backbone that allowed billions in fraud proceeds to be transferred, moved, and concealed,” often through Southeast Asian scam centers. 

"Seizures of these marketplaces is critical in the fight against fraud that affects so many Americans, and to stop avenues for criminal proceeds to be laundered," Duva added. 

In 2025 alone, Americans reported over $7.2 billion in losses to cryptocurrency investment fraud via the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. This is part of the nearly $21 billion worth of total reported losses from all cybercrime and cyber-enabled fraud in 2025 across the U.S., according to the FBI’s official 2025 Internet Crime Report. 

Tuesday’s seizure is part of the ongoing Operation Riptide, an FBI campaign targeted at cybercrime, and follows last year’s FinCEN designation of Huione Group as a primary money laundering concern under the USA Patriot Act. The department noted that H-Pay Service PLC has now been recognized as part of the Huione Group.

Huione subsidiaries allegedly helped criminals move funds from investment scams, cyber heists, and other illicit activities on blockchain networks before funneling them into the legitimate banking system, according to the statement. Much of this theft was allegedly conducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, according to the announcement. 

Huione Guarantee, also known as Haowang Guarantee, operated Telegram channels advertising stolen credit cards, identity information, malware proceeds, human trafficking services and escrow for laundering cryptocurrency from romance and investment scams. 

Elliptic found last year that amid financial pressure, Huione launched a stablecoin to create an alternative payment rail for the Huione Guarantee marketplace. USDH, launched on Ethereum, BSC and Tron, as part of a suite of Huione-branded blockchain products, including a decentralized exchange, native crypto wallet and blockchain called Huione Chain (a.k.a. Xone).