The situation:** A client was introduced to what appeared to be a legitimate crypto trading platform through a social media contact. After an initial small, profitable “test” withdrawal — a common tactic to build trust — the client was encouraged to invest larger amounts. When they attempted to withdraw $85,000 in apparent profits, the platform demanded additional “tax” and “release” fees, a classic sign of a fraudulent exchange. The investigation: Our team traced the flow of funds from the client’s initial deposits through the platform’s linked wallets, identifying the exchanges used to cash out stolen funds. Transaction clustering revealed a