In a significant crackdown on international cybercrime, the United States Department of Justice has seized a fraudulent website domain connected to a notorious scam compound operating in Burma. The domain, tickmilleas.com, was posing as a legitimate cryptocurrency trading platform but was actually a front for a massive investment fraud scheme targeting Americans.
The Scam Operation and Its Backing
The seized domain was operated from the Tai Chang scam compound, also known as Casino Kosai, located in Kyaukhat, Burma. According to an affidavit filed by US authorities, this compound is affiliated with the Burmese armed group Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) and the Trans Asia International Holding Group Thailand Company Limited. Notably, the US Department of the Treasury designated these entities as specially-designated nationals on November 12 for their links to Chinese organized crime and their role in developing scam centers across Southeast Asia.
This action comes less than three weeks after the District of Columbia U.S. Attorney’s Office launched its pioneering "Scam Center Strike Force", the first district-level unit dedicated to combating cryptocurrency investment fraud (CIF). The seizure of tickmilleas.com is one of the strike force's first major victories, following the takedown of two other domains used by the same Tai Chang compound.
How the Crypto Scam Worked
The fraudulent website was cleverly disguised as a genuine investment platform. Victims were lured in through unsolicited contact on dating apps, social media, and messaging services. Scammers built virtual relationships with their targets before convincing them to invest in cryptocurrency.
The site displayed fake lucrative returns and falsified deposit records to create an illusion of successful trading. Victims, guided by the scammers through sham trades, would deposit their funds, only to be cheated. Despite the domain being registered as recently as early November 2025, the FBI has already identified multiple victims defrauded in just the last month.
The domain also directed users to download malicious mobile applications from official stores like Google Play and the Apple App Store. Following FBI notifications, Google and Apple voluntarily removed several of these fraudulent apps. In a related action, Meta identified and removed over 2,000 accounts linked to the Tai Chang compound from its social media platforms.
A Massive Problem and a Coordinated Response
The scale of cryptocurrency investment fraud is staggering. In 2024 alone, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received more than 41,000 complaints reporting approximately $5.8 billion in losses from such scams.
The current case is being prosecuted by the D.C. USAO and the DOJ's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS). The investigation is led by the FBI San Diego Field Office, with support from FBI agents deployed to Bangkok specifically to probe scam compounds in Burma. The collaborative Scam Center Strike Force includes the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island.
Authorities have replaced the scam website with a law enforcement splash page to warn potential victims. This action disrupts the scam's operations and its associated money laundering activities. The CCIPS, which coordinates cybercrime prosecutions globally, has a strong track record, having secured convictions for over 180 cybercriminals and court orders for the return of more than $350 million to victims since 2020.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for D.C., Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Mark Dargis, signaling a continued high-level commitment to dismantling these transnational criminal networks.
