Lunenburg Police Officer’s Investigation Leads to $109,000 Seizure in Crypto Scam Case

LUNENBURG — Police Chief Jeffrey Thibodeau is pleased to recognize School Resource Officer Bradley McNamara for his diligent work in an ongoing cryptocurrency fraud investigation that led to the recovery of more than $100,000 in stolen funds.

In April 2025, Lunenburg Police received a report from a Worcester County resident who had fallen victim to a Bitcoin scam involving a cryptocurrency ATM in town. The victim reported a loss of approximately $13,000.

Officer McNamara immediately began investigating, working with the New England State Police Information Network (NESPIN), which specializes in cryptocurrency investigations. Officer McNamara was able to trace the money to a Tether digital wallet used to move and exchange cryptocurrency. The wallet contained more than $109,000 in assets.

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.

Officer McNamara’s investigation identified at least 13 victims. Lunenburg Police have since seized all $109,000, and the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office has initiated the civil asset forfeiture process so the money can be returned to victims.

A NESPIN analyst working on the investigation told Officer McNamara, “The first Tether seizure by a local law enforcement agency in the state of Massachusetts was completed by a school resource officer in Lunenburg.”

Officer McNamara has been recognized by multiple public safety partners for his work and will be honored at a future commendation ceremony.

“We are proud of Officer McNamara for his continued commitment to our residents,” said Chief Thibodeau. “He went out of his way to support the victims and did everything possible to help recover their money. I also want to thank our public safety partners for their collaboration throughout this investigation. We are fortunate to have an officer who truly represents the values of the Lunenburg Police Department.”

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