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LUNENBURG – The Lunenburg Police Department said it had recovered $109,000 that was stolen in a cryptocurrency scam.
At least 13 people had fallen victim to the scam including at least one from Worcester County, the department said in a statement.
The theft was first reported to the police in April 2025, when a Worcester County resident reported that they had fallen victim to a Bitcoin scam involving a cryptocurrency ATM in town.
Crypto ATMs are often found at stores or gas stations, and are used by cryptocurrency holders to withdraw cash.
The victim reported a loss of approximately $13,000, the department said.
Working with the New England State Police Information Network, which specializes in cryptocurrency investigations, the department traced the theft to a digital wallet that contained more than $109,000 in assets, the department said.
The digital wallet used by the thief or thieves was a Tether platform, often used to move and exchange cryptocurrency.
The money will be returned to the victims through a “civil asset forfeiture process” run by the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office, the department added.
The department recognized the work of school resource officer Bradley McNamara in its statement, which added that he will be honored at a future commendation ceremony.
“Officer McNamara went above and beyond, filing a number of search warrants and subpoenas in partnership with the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, allowing authorities to freeze and seize the funds,” the department said.
In 2024, funds stolen by hacking cryptocurrency platforms surged 21% from 2023 to $2.2 billion, according to a report from blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis.