Uthmeier: $1.5M crypto seized from Chinese national

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has announced the Office of Statewide Prosecution’s Cyber Fraud Enforcement Unit successfully seized cryptocurrency valued at $1.5 million U.S. dollars in a money laundering case against a Chinese national.

“While scammers are changing their methods, I am proud of our Statewide Prosecutors’ ability to adapt and deliver justice,” Uthmeier said in a Dec. 10 press release. “I want to thank our Cyber Fraud Enforcement Unit and the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office for their continued dedication and for making this fraudster’s victim whole again.”

The investigation started in July 2024 after a report was filed with the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office. The victim, a Citrus County resident, reported he had been scammed out of $47,421 USD through an internet-based investment scheme.

As a result of the investigation, Tu Weizhi of China was charged with Money Laundering, Grand Theft and Organized Scheme to Defraud. If Weizhi ever attempts to enter the U.S., he will be arrested. The seizure was conducted un...