US Seizes Tickmilleas, Halts $100M Crypto Scam From Burma Compound
The US Justice Department has moved in to shut down Tickmilleas, a dodgy cryptocurrency trading platform operating...
Quick overview
- The US Justice Department has shut down Tickmilleas, a fraudulent cryptocurrency trading platform operating from the Tai Chang compound in Burma.
- Tickmilleas used fake dashboards and investment returns to deceive victims, who were also encouraged to download fraudulent mobile apps.
- The DOJ's actions are part of a broader initiative to combat international scams linked to organized crime in Southeast Asia.
- Southeast Asia has become a hotspot for crypto scams, with significant losses reported by victims in recent years.
The US Justice Department has moved in to shut down Tickmilleas, a dodgy cryptocurrency trading platform operating out of the infamous Tai Chang compound, also known as Casino Kosai in Kyaukhat, Burma. The DOJ announced on December 2, 2025, as part of its ongoing war against Southeast Asian scammer operations.
According to insiders, Tickmilleas was built to look like a legit operation – complete with:
- Bogus dashboards that pretended to show real-time trading data
- Faked-up investment returns designed to convince people their money was making money
- Fake deposits to make it seem like their funds were growing
The scammers even convinced victims to download dodgy mobile apps from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. Luckily, the FBI stepped in and got those apps taken down, and after working with Meta, they were able to shut down over 2,000 social media accounts linked to the scam.
Ties to Sanctioned Groups & Organized Crime
The Tai Chang compound has close ties to various sanctioned groups, including the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army and Trans Asia International Holding Group. Both outfits were recently added to the Specially Designated Nationals list for their links to Chinese organized crime and their roles in setting up scam operations across Southeast Asia.
The DOJ made it clear that this seizure is part of the Scam Center Strike Force’s efforts to stop international scammers from using US infrastructure. Victims reportedly lost their shirts in a matter of weeks after Tickmilleas got registered in early November 2025.
Southeast Asia as a Hotbed for Crypto Scams
Southeast Asia, including Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, has become a giant headache for law enforcement when it comes to crypto scams and ‘pig butchering’ schemes – many of which are run from big compounds with a workforce of trafficked labourers. Other notable efforts include:
- October 2025: The DOJ seized some $14 billion in Bitcoin linked to Cambodia’s Prince Group, run by the tycoon Chen Zhi
- 2024: A Chainalysis report revealed that romance scams run from Burma’s KK Park compound had managed to swindle global victims out of nearly $100 million in crypto
Scammers in these operations use every trick in the book to get their hands on investors’ cash – from coercion and fake investment platforms to old-fashioned social engineering to get investors from all over the world to part with their cash. The Tickmilleas seizure is a clear sign of how the US is stepping up its efforts to go after Southeast Asian crypto scams at the source.
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