Key Takeaways
- • The U.S. and UK signed a historic memorandum of understanding on September 4, 2026, creating the first international law enforcement framework jointly targeting cryptocurrency investment fraud and scam centres, with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, the Crown Prosecution Service, and Britain's National Crime Agency as signatories.
- • Cyber-enabled investment fraud losses in the United States surged 89% to $8.65 billion in 2025, up from $4.57 billion in 2023, demonstrating accelerating financial exposure that prompted the bilateral enforcement action.
- • The agreement enables parallel investigations into shared targets, real-time information sharing on organized crime networks, and coordinated prosecution decisions between the two countries, with an initial disruptive operation planned in London for early October 2026.
- • The primary focus targets Chinese-linked organized crime networks operating predominantly in Southeast Asia that operate fake cryptocurrency investment platforms; these groups are simultaneously engaged in human trafficking and money laundering activities.
- • The bilateral framework expands an existing task force launched by Washington, D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro in November 2025, representing a strategic escalation in international cooperation against transnational financial crime.
Summary
The United States and United Kingdom established their first jointly coordinated law enforcement framework on September 4, 2026, to dismantle cryptocurrency investment fraud operations targeting overseas scam centres. The memorandum of understanding, signed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, England and Wales Crown Prosecution Service, and Britain's National Crime Agency, represents a watershed moment in transatlantic law enforcement cooperation against cyber-enabled financial crime.
The agreement operationalizes parallel investigations into shared targets, with both countries committing to exchange intelligence related to organized crime networks and collaboratively determine which jurisdiction will prosecute specific cases. According to the U.S. Justice Department, this marks "the first international cooperation framework to dismantle scam centres." Law enforcement agencies have already identified substantial overlapping cases and are preparing a coordinated disruptive operation in London scheduled for early October 2026, conducted in partnership with private sector entities.
The bilateral framework builds on an existing task force launched in November 2025 by Washington, D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. The current focus targets Chinese-linked organized crime networks predominantly based in Southeast Asia. These criminal enterprises operate fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platforms designed to extract funds from victims while simultaneously engaging in human trafficking and money laundering operations.
Financial losses underscore the urgency of the enforcement response. Cyber-enabled investment fraud losses reported to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) increased 89% year-over-year to $8.65 billion in 2025, compared to $4.57 billion in 2023. This sharp acceleration in reported losses across U.S. constituencies has catalyzed expanded international enforcement cooperation, with both governments signaling intensified commitment to disrupting transnational scam networks.
The agreement operationalizes parallel investigations into shared targets, with both countries committing to exchange intelligence related to organized crime networks and collaboratively determine which jurisdiction will prosecute specific cases. According to the U.S. Justice Department, this marks "the first international cooperation framework to dismantle scam centres." Law enforcement agencies have already identified substantial overlapping cases and are preparing a coordinated disruptive operation in London scheduled for early October 2026, conducted in partnership with private sector entities.
The bilateral framework builds on an existing task force launched in November 2025 by Washington, D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. The current focus targets Chinese-linked organized crime networks predominantly based in Southeast Asia. These criminal enterprises operate fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platforms designed to extract funds from victims while simultaneously engaging in human trafficking and money laundering operations.
Financial losses underscore the urgency of the enforcement response. Cyber-enabled investment fraud losses reported to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) increased 89% year-over-year to $8.65 billion in 2025, compared to $4.57 billion in 2023. This sharp acceleration in reported losses across U.S. constituencies has catalyzed expanded international enforcement cooperation, with both governments signaling intensified commitment to disrupting transnational scam networks.
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