Brazil Freezes $213M in Tether Tied to Gurhan Kiziloz Over Gambling Tax

At the request of Brazilian authorities, Tether Operations Ltd. has frozen $213 million in USDT across 48 wallets associated with Gurhan Kiziloz. This measure is linked to an alleged tax dispute regarding gambling from 2021 to 2024 and unregistered token sales, despite Brazil's regulatory framework being established only in 2024, which raises questions about retroactivity. No criminal charges have been filed, and the matter remains civil. Kiziloz has not made any public statements. The freeze involved detailed on-chain analysis and international collaboration. Since its launch, Tether has frozen over $5.1 billion in USDT, including $500 million in the last month. Kiziloz's legal team intends to challenge the freeze on constitutional grounds, with civil courts set to adjudicate.