US , UK and Canada ran Operation Atlantic, uncovering more than $45 million in stolen crypto assets and freezing around $12 million to be returned to victims. The authorities say the operation targeted large-scale cryptocurrency theft schemes and helped safeguard thousands of victims in the UK and overseas as investigations continue. Approval phishing, the tactic at the centre of the crackdown, tricks victims into granting attackers access to their wallets, often via fake prompts that appear legitimate.
According to TRM Labs, the action identified more than 20,000 victims across the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Miles Bonfield, the Deputy Director of Investigations at the National Crime Agency, described Operational Atlantic as a powerful example of cross‑agency and private‑sector collaboration that stopped criminals in their tracks and saved others from losing funds. April 14, 2026.