Tether（USDT）因涉嫌犯罪活動而成為美國聯邦當局的瞄準目標

美國聯邦當局正在審查加密貨幣公司 Tether 是否涉嫌違反制裁和反洗錢 (AML) 法規。

U.S. federal authorities are investigating crypto company Tether for alleged violations related to sanctions and anti-money-laundering (AML) regulations, multiple individuals familiar with the situation told The Wall Street Journal.

多位知情人士告訴《華爾街日報》，美國聯邦當局正在調查加密貨幣公司 Tether 涉嫌違反制裁和反洗錢 (AML) 法規的行為。

The investigation, spearheaded by the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office, is examining whether the digital currency Tether (USDT) has facilitated unlawful transactions by third parties. These include alleged financing of illicit activities such as drug trafficking, terrorism, hacking, or laundering illegal funds.

這項由曼哈頓美國檢察官辦公室牽頭的調查正在審查數位貨幣 Tether (USDT) 是否為第三方非法交易提供了便利。其中包括涉嫌資助販毒、恐怖主義、駭客攻擊或洗錢非法資金等非法活動。

The investigation is a significant escalation in scrutiny of Tether, whose stablecoin is the most traded globally. The stablecoin’s widespread use by individuals and organizations subject to U.S. sanctions — including Hamas and Russian arms dealers — has also raised concerns.

這項調查是對 Tether 的審查的重大升級，該公司的穩定幣是全球交易量最大的穩定幣。這種穩定幣被美國制裁的個人和組織（包括哈馬斯和俄羅斯軍火商）的廣泛使用也引發了擔憂。

Sanctioning Tether would prohibit U.S. citizens and entities from transacting with the crypto company.

制裁 Tether 將禁止美國公民和實體與該加密貨幣公司進行交易。

Meanwhile, the Treasury Department is considering sanctions against Tether, the Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

與此同時，《華爾街日報》引述知情人士的話報導，美國財政部正在考慮對 Tether 實施制裁。

The stablecoin is designed to be pegged one-to-one to the U.S. dollar, making it a potential alternative in areas where the use of American currency is restricted by U.S. authorities.

該穩定幣的設計目的是與美元一對一掛鉤，使其成為美國當局限制使用美元的地區的潛在替代品。

However, the stablecoin has also become a key financing tool for high-priority national security concerns, multiple law enforcement officials told the Journal.

然而，多位執法官員告訴《華爾街日報》，穩定幣也已成為高度優先的國家安全問題的關鍵融資工具。

The illicit operations allegedly financed with USDT include the nuclear weapons program in North Korea, Mexican drug cartels, Russian arms manufacturers, Middle Eastern terrorist groups, and Chinese chemical producers used in fentanyl production.

據稱以 USDT 資助的非法活動包括北韓核武計畫、墨西哥販毒集團、俄羅斯軍火製造商、中東恐怖組織以及用於生產芬太尼的中國化學品生產商。

Tether’s interactions with regulators and law enforcement date back several years. In 2021, the Justice Department began investigating Tether over potential bank fraud, specifically examining whether USDT’s backers falsified documents to secure access to global banking services, sources told the Journal.

Tether 與監管機構和執法部門的互動可以追溯到幾年前。消息人士告訴《華爾街日報》，2021 年，司法部開始調查 Tether 潛在的銀行詐欺行為，特別調查 USDT 的支持者是否偽造文件以確保獲得全球銀行服務。

The Justice Department investigation was initially limited to potential fraud by a small group of Tether employees, but it has since expanded to include a broader examination of the stablecoin’s use in illicit activities, the Journal reported.

根據《華爾街日報》報道，司法部的調查最初僅限於一小部分 Tether 員工的潛在詐欺行為，但後來擴大到對穩定幣在非法活動中的使用進行更廣泛的調查。

Tether officials have denied the company is broadly involved in aiding criminal activities.

Tether 官員否認該公司廣泛參與協助犯罪活動。

“To suggest that Tether is somehow involved in aiding criminal actors or sidestepping sanctions is outrageous,” a Tether representative said, according to the Journal report. They also said the company actively collaborates with both U.S. and international law enforcement agencies “to combat illicit activity.”

根據《華爾街日報》報道，Tether 的一位代表表示：“暗示 Tether 以某種方式參與幫助犯罪分子或逃避制裁，這是令人憤慨的。”他們還表示，該公司積極與美國和國際執法機構合作「打擊非法活動」。