The US Treasury has sanctioned Funnull Technology, a Philippine firm, for allegedly facilitating "pig butchering" cryptocurrency scams by providing IP addresses to cybercriminals. The firm’s administrator, Liu Lizhi, is also sanctioned, as these scams have led to significant financial losses, with the FBI reporting $5.6 billion lost in 2023 alone. The rise of AI technologies has further enhanced the sophistication of these scams, enabling more personalized and convincing interactions with victims.