Thomas Daniels
The United States has initiated civil proceedings aiming to seize 20.2 BTC (approximately $2.4 million) confiscated by the Dallas FBI, allegedly linked to the Chaos ransomware group. The forfeiture request, filed in the Northern District of Texas, bolsters the planned U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, which President Trump directed be established on March 6 via an executive order obliging the government to aggregate seized digital assets.
According to the complaint, the seizure on April 15 targeted Bitcoin believed to constitute illicit proceeds from ransomware operations . If granted, these assets would be consolidated into the federal reserve of digital currency. The initiative mirrors existing proposals in at least 30 states, though only Arizona, Texas, and New Hampshire have enacted legislation as of July 29, 2025 .
Scrutiny Over U.S. Bitcoin Holdings
Independent analyses by Nansen, Arkham, and BitcoinTreasuries.NET suggest the U.S. government holds around 198,000 BTC from prior forfeitures. Yet a Freedom of Information Act disclosure received by journalist L0la L33tz, posted July 16, indicates the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) alone holds only ~28,988 BTC, raising questions about custody across other agencies .
In response, Arkham clarified on July 23 that other federal bodies—such as the FBI, DEA, and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices—also seize and retain Bitcoin. Their blockchain data reveals no movement of U.S. government–associated Bitcoin addresses over a four‑month span .
Meanwhile, L0la L33tz has cautioned that tracking platforms may conflate seized versus forfeited assets, noting that only forfeited coins become government property—and thus legally salable .
