Our specialist cryptocurrency fraud lawyers are internationally recognised leaders in the fast-evolving field of crypto and digital asset fraud and asset recovery. We act swiftly and strategically to identify, trace and recover assets for victims of cryptocurrency fraud, cyber-enabled theft and complex digital asset disputes.
Digital assets can move at the click of a mouse. EMM’s integrated team combines continuous blockchain monitoring with open source intelligence (OSINT) to identify emerging fraud techniques and respond rapidly to complex, fast-moving crypto fraud scenarios. That includes urgent, high-stakes AI-enabled crypto exploits.
Most crypto frauds also involve complex cross-border elements, requiring coordinated action across multiple jurisdictions. Our cryptocurrency lawyers have a proven track record of recovering assets internationally, regularly working alongside overseas legal teams, forensic investigators and law enforcement agencies to trace assets and pursue fraudsters worldwide.
A multi-disciplinary approach to cryptocurrency fraud
What distinguishes EMM in the digital asset fraud market is our adoption of a multidisciplinary investigative model. This approach is inspired by the ‘Roskill model’, developed by the Serious Fraud Office for prosecuting complex fraud cases in the UK.
Drawing on that framework, we have developed an integrated team comprising specialist cryptocurrency fraud litigators, investigators, blockchain tracing experts and forensic accounting professionals. They work collaboratively under one roof, combining legal strategy, forensic tracing, evidential analysis and intelligence-led investigation within a single coordinated recovery structure.
Our adoption of this multidisciplinary model enables us to develop sophisticated and innovative legal strategies to counter threat actors, and has been central to a series of highly successful recovery outcomes. That includes landmark recovery actions, innovative asset preservation strategies and pioneering recovery mechanisms involving digital asset issuers and cross-border enforcement coordination.
What should I do if I’ve been a victim of digital asset fraud?
If you have been the victim of cryptocurrency fraud or had digital assets stolen, it’s important to act quickly. Fraudsters often move assets rapidly through multiple wallets and exchanges, mixing services and jurisdictions to conceal their whereabouts and frustrate recovery efforts.
We can advise on steps which can significantly improve the prospects of tracing, freezing and recovering stolen assets before they are dissipated further. That may include advice to:
change passwords immediately and enable multi-factor authentication where possible;
arrange for your devices and accounts to be checked to ensure that fraudsters no longer have access;
secure any remaining cryptocurrency wallets, exchange accounts and digital assets;
notify the relevant crypto exchange or platform as quickly as possible, as they may be able to flag suspicious activity or freeze accounts;
gather and preserve evidence, including wallet addresses, transaction hashes, screenshots, emails and communications with the fraudster;
obtain a blockchain tracing analysis to assist in understanding where your digital assets have been moved to, and to identify exchanges and services to notify; and
commence proceedings in multiple jurisdictions.
Our analysts and investigators will immediately work to trace the movement of stolen assets across the blockchain, identify linked wallets and exchanges and support legal action to freeze and recover your assets.
How our crypto litigation lawyers recover digital assets
Our cryptocurrency fraud lawyers combine civil asset recovery strategy with private criminal prosecution expertise to recover your stolen assets and, where possible, prosecute the individual responsible.
Our crypto lawyers have an innovative approach and proven track record in:
collaborating with police, investigators and regulated global cryptocurrency exchanges to trace and recover your crypto-assets;
training law enforcement investigators, and speaking on panels internationally about the cutting-edge issues and techniques we employ;
utilising our specialist investigation team to broaden the scope of enquiries and maximise the chance of identifying recoverable assets; and
obtaining disclosure orders, freezing injunctions and recovery orders against exchanges, wallets or third parties that are in possession of stolen assets.
Landmark cases our cryptocurrency lawyers have been involved in
Our cryptocurrency fraud lawyers have acted in significant, high-value cases and successfully recovered digital assets for our clients.
$110m Coldcard exploit (2026)
EMM has advised multiple victims of the well-reported Coldcard exploit, which resulted in losses of over $110 million across thousands of affected users worldwide.
We are advising on both the tracing and recovery of stolen Bitcoin and the potential legal claims arising from the alleged firmware vulnerability that enabled the thefts.
Our work includes coordinating blockchain analysis, considering urgent proprietary and injunctive relief against Persons Unknown, and assessing potential claims against relevant third parties and the device manufacturer. EMM is one of the only known firms to have successfully recovered assets for victims arising from this exploit.
Recovery from fraudulent investment platform (2026)
In 2026, EMM successfully recovered over US$3.15 million on behalf of a client who was the victim of a sophisticated cryptocurrency investment fraud operated through a purported digital asset/crypto exchange platform in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).
Instructed on a Monday, EMM devised and implemented an urgent cross-border cryptocurrency fraud and asset recovery strategy. Within four days, the team had investigated the scheme, coordinated local counsel across multiple jurisdictions, obtained expert evidence and commenced proceedings.
By Friday, EMM had secured worldwide freezing relief, proprietary injunctions and disclosure orders to trace, preserve and recover the misappropriated digital assets.
Tether – burn and remint recovery (2026)
In early 2026, EMM devised and led an innovative cross-border recovery strategy for the victim of a US$1+ million cryptocurrency romance fraud.
We traced the stolen cryptocurrency (USDT) into non-custodial wallets and worked with Tether, the issuer of USDT, and US law enforcement to freeze the relevant addresses. Tether then burned the tainted tokens and reminted clean replacement tokens into a US government-controlled wallet for our client’s benefit.
The recovery was reported as one of the first successful uses by a UK firm of Tether’s burn-and-remint mechanism to recover stolen digital assets beyond the reach of conventional exchange-freezing remedies.
Nicola McKinney acted in the most prominent cryptocurrency fraud trial in the English courts to date. D’Aloia v Persons Unknown is the landmark judgment on the English court’s acceptance of the cryptocurrency USDT as property, the principles of equitable tracing which apply to cryptocurrency recovery in the English courts, and the methodological standards for expert evidence relied on by crypto fraud victims.
After a purported specialist cryptocurrency fraud recovery law firm was instructed to recover a victim’s stolen crypto assets, but failed to do so, EMM was later instructed to investigate.
We established that had the previous law firm taken the correct course of conduct, it would have recovered the victim’s assets. EMM sued the law firm, alleging it provided valueless advice and was negligent. The case was settled on confidential terms.
Advice on DeFi protocols and DAOs
We have designed and are implementing a pioneering redress scheme for a globally distributed DAO DeFi protocol and ERC-20 utility token.
The scheme translates complex smart-contract logic and on-chain transaction flows into a practical and legally robust framework for identifying eligible participants and resolving disputed entitlements. It also provides for the fair and transparent redistribution of millions of pounds in digital assets to participants worldwide.
Our cryptocurrency fraud lawyers combined deep technical understanding with innovative legal structuring to deliver an orderly, credible and scalable solution. We achieved this in a decentralised environment where conventional corporate, insolvency and collective-redress mechanisms offered no clear answer.
Sutton v Persons Unknown (2024)
We represented an elderly victim of cryptocurrency fraud who had transferred her life savings to a fraudulent trading platform. Working alongside law enforcement, we obtained a landmark default judgment and a delivery-up order against an overseas exchange, resulting in the recovery of her assets.
We successfully recovered stolen crypto assets in a landmark High Court case, establishing a precedent for offshore crypto asset recovery. We secured freezing, disclosure and transfer orders against a Seychelles-based exchange, resulting in the full recovery of our client’s assets.
Recovery of assets stolen from a 77-year-old farmer
We recovered a farmer’s stolen life savings through a coordinated strategy involving cryptocurrency lawyers, police and a major cryptocurrency exchange. This case highlights the effectiveness of our cross-sector collaboration and innovative recovery strategies in complex crypto-fraud cases.
Our digital asset lawyers acted for a client in High Court proceedings against a UK crypto exchange that had wrongfully withheld and converted substantial digital assets over several years. The claim included breach of contract, breach of trust, and unjust enrichment, and was resolved through a successful settlement.
Cryptocurrency and digital assets fraud FAQs
Do I have to pay for legal representation to recover my digital assets?
Yes. However, if we can trace sufficient assets to accounts controlled by the fraudsters, which may be possible due to the publicly distributable nature of the blockchain, you may be able to recoup your costs from the accounts they control. Our experienced cryptocurrency lawyers will guide you through the process during an initial call.
How long do cryptocurrency fraud investigations typically take?
The timescale for a cryptocurrency fraud investigation can vary significantly depending on the complexity of the fraud, the number of wallets involved and whether assets have been transferred across multiple jurisdictions. Some matters can progress within days where urgent freezing action is required, while larger cross-border investigations may continue for several months alongside ongoing recovery proceedings.
Can I take legal action if the fraudster is based overseas?
Yes, nearly all cryptocurrency fraud cases involve international elements, including overseas exchanges, wallets and foreign-based fraudsters. Depending on the circumstances, our cryptocurrency solicitors may be able to pursue civil recovery action through the courts, obtain disclosure orders against international exchanges and coordinate with local lawyers and investigators to trace and recover the assets. Many jurisdictions around the world recognise and enforce English High Court orders and have legal systems based on English common law.
If you would like to discuss a potential crypto fraud case, our specialist cryptocurrency lawyers are here to help you navigate the legal process and achieve justice.
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