Bitcoin is Great for Criminals. It’s Even Better for Law Enforcement

When the indictment of Russian intelligence officers for interfering with the US election broke, the recriminations were swift. Not only had the 12 allegedly hacked the Democratic National Committee, but they’d had the temerity to do so using servers paid with cryptocurrency. When politicians and mainstream media began finger pointing, they had only one culprit … Read more

What Is the Trump Task Force?

Cryptocurrency and crime have been closely entwined for far too long. Bringing this connection to an end will be very challenging, for rather obvious reasons. The so-called Trump Task Force aims to address some of those concerns moving forward. Investigating cryptocurrency-related crimes will not be easy, but it is a welcome change regardless. The Trump … Read more

Chinese Police Arrest Nearly Two Dozen Individuals for Cryptojacking

Cryptojacking has become an increasingly popular trend all over the world. Purposefully infecting computers with cryptocurrency mining malware can provide a very lucrative revenue stream. In China, nearly two dozen suspects have been arrested in the country’s largest cryptojacking case to date. The allure of quick profits can lead to swift arrests these days. Chinese … Read more

The Role of Bitcoin in Crime: Blockchain Analysis

In our ongoing series regarding Bitcoin and crime, various topics have been highlighted. There is a lot to talk about, even though it is evident cryptocurrencies will evolve beyond crime in many different ways. Especially with law enforcement agencies now tracking Bitcoin, interesting changes are bound to occur soon. The Rise of Blockchain Analysis Fighting … Read more

The Role of Bitcoin in Crime: Ponzi Schemes

The connection between fraudulent behavior and cryptocurrencies has become a lot more apparent over the years. Especially when it comes to fraud and Ponzi schemes, the situation has gotten out of hand in recent years. Even in 2018, one of the bigger pyramid schemes was still active. Bitcoin’s Ponzi Problem Any investment opportunity in the … Read more

The Role of Bitcoin in Crime: Ransomware

If there is one criminal trend related to Bitcoin that’s made a global impact, it has to be ransomware. This destructive type of malicious software has claimed thousands of victims across the world. It also highlights the potential of Bitcoin as a global payment method, albeit for nefarious purposes. The Ransomware Craze Is Still Alive … Read more

Japan Cracks Down on Illegal Use of Computers to Mine Crypto

The police in Japan are cracking down on the illegal use of personal computers for cryptocurrency mining. Multiple prefectural police departments are currently investigating one particular case and pursuing criminal charges, which would make it the first criminal case in Japan where computers are illegally used for mining cryptocurrencies. Also read: Yahoo! Japan Confirms Entrance Into … Read more

The Role of Bitcoin in Crime: Tax Evasion

Highlighting the role of cryptocurrency in the crime world is not exactly difficult. There have been so many allegations regarding the involvement of digital currencies where criminal activity is concerned. Tax evasion is of particular concern to government officials. The bigger question is whether people are doing this intentionally or if the guidelines are simply … Read more

The Role of Cryptocurrency in Crime: Money Laundering

There have been numerous allegations regarding Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies being used for nefarious activities. Making any of these charges stick has been a bit more difficult than anticipated, although there are some key statistics which all users need to be aware of. Turning illicitly obtained funds into ‘legal’ currency is a very difficult process these … Read more