United States Justice Department decided to appoint Eun Young Choi as head of a new unit to watch illegitimate cryptocurrency ventures. Eun will scrutinize the illegal activities of cyber culprits and other countries like Iran and North Korea.
Eun Young Choi, the newly appointed director of The National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, will be instrumental in identifying and shut down misuse cases for cryptocurrencies.
On Thursday, February 17, 2022, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco announced;
If we’re going to see — as I think we will — cryptocurrency gaining more traction and gaining wider adoption, we’ve got to make sure that the ecosystem that they operate in can be trusted and, frankly, can be policed,” Monaco replied in an interview. “We’re going to make it our business to go after them and get those proceeds back and make it clear to them that they can’t hide.
The tremendous growth of the $2 trillion crypto market enabled firms and traders to get extraordinary profits and grasp technology within the shortest time.
Cryptocurrencies have become the new frontier for criminals and rogue nations to steal money through anonymous means. As a result, prosecutors are thoroughly guarding the space. In addition, regulators are trying to determine how best to patrol this market and other digital assets such as crypto tokens that can also act as currency on their own without any central authority overseeing them as a bank does with fiat currencies.
With the rise in crypto values, criminals find it more lucrative to engage with cryptocurrency. As a result, the number of illicit transactions went up by 80% last year and continues to increase at an unprecedented rate this time around. Yet, crime still makes up a much smaller proportion when compared against total transaction volume, which skyrocketed over 90%.
The primary purpose of the newly established team is to find out the primary roots of illegitimate ventures that occurred on crypto exchanges, crypto tumblers, or mixing, or used to destroy funds, said Choi.
Experience Is The Key
Choi has worked on several essential posts and has earned the famous nickname “EYC” among colleagues. For example, Choi has recently served as a Senior Counsel to Monaco on cybersecurity issues. The crypto unit comprises most professionals, including a criminal division and experienced prosecutors.
Choi added;
We’re trying to centralize so that we’re a one-stop-shop of all the subject matter experts within the department.
At the time of the announcement of developing a crypto team in October 2021, Monaco briefed that the significant purpose of this team will be to point out necessary legal action against all the crypto exchanges and other entities found in violating laws and illegal financing. The professional team will solve current issues as well as trail new problems.
Bitcoin broke its $40,000 support | Source: BTC/USD Chart on Tradingview.com
At the moment, Choi did not mention any of the crypto exchanges involved in the illegal practice. However, Bloomberg had reported that Justice Department and Internal Revenue Services were investigating whether Binance (World’s biggest crypto Exchange) had been involved in money laundering and tax elusion.
Choi informed that the team is proactive, liaising with those crypto exchange firms that developed challenging anti-money laundering systems, doing robust compliance, and possessing highly professional blockchain analyzing firms.
“The information they hold is crucial to rooting out the abuse of cryptocurrencies because they’re the ones who can see in their systems suspicious activities that may be happening,” Choi said.
Success Stories of US Justice Department
US law and enforcement agencies had already been working against illegal transactions of digital assets and had recently succeeded in recovering a seized Bitcoin worth $3.60 billion stolen during 2016. Apart from this success, the US Marshals Service works as the primary custodian of seized assets holding $919 million consisting of 22 kinds of various cryptocurrencies.
Significant Accomplishments Of Choi
Choi possesses ten years of extensive experience in tracking hackers and crypto attacks.
The principal success of Choi’s career started with the prosecution against JPMorgan Chase & Co against stealing hundreds of millions of dollars by hackers from dozen countries.
“What her appointment shows is that cryptocurrency is really at the intersection of complex financial investigations, cybersecurity, anti-money laundering, narcotics trafficking, and cross-border enforcement,” expressed Edward Imperatore, a colleague of Choi in the cybercrime unit of the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan. “She has experience in each one of these areas.”
As cryptocurrencies become more mainstream, the potential for wrongdoing has increased exponentially. Choi said that crypto fraud now cuts across a swath of activity, including financial crimes, bribery, narcotics cases, ransomware attacks, hacking attacks, money laundering, terrorist financing, and sanctions evasion.
Choi will complete his unit’s activities and coordinate U.S and international law enforcement agencies, regulatory bodies, and private industry. Another mission will boost the criminal division activities for helping and training local, federal and international law enforcement agencies.
Federal Bearue of Investigation is also expected to develop a virtual asset exploration unit.
Choi additionally said;
It is going to be important for us to have a united front in trying to determine what tools and authorities we’re all bringing to this approach on digital assets.
Companies have raised concerns that the Justice Department and regulatory agencies will take an overly harsh approach toward enforcement actions. A former federal prosecutor who asked to remain anonymous is responding with regards to these fears, stating there’s worry about how “heavy-handed” things might get in this new administration.”
The U.S government has long struggled with reporting cyber attacks and vulnerabilities, but that is set to change in the coming year’s thanks primarily due to an effort aimed at helping companies recover stolen funds. In contrast, they could suffer repercussions like regulatory blowback or even be targeted by prosecutors themselves.
Besides recovering seized Bitcoins of Bitfinex hacking during this month, the US had already recovered the whole Bitcoin ransom paid to the criminals of cyber attack Colonial Pipeline Co. that stirred up fuel deficiency along with the US east coast.
Featured Image form Pixabay and Chart from TradingView.com
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency investments are subject to market risks, and individuals should seek professional advice before making any investment decisions.
The founder of the decentralized exchange, dYdX, asserts that individuals involved in cryptocurrency development should direct their efforts toward international markets beyond the United States for the upcoming five to ten years.
Antonio Juliano conveys to his audience of 49,400 on the social media platform X that the prevailing regulatory uncertainty within the United States does not merit the associated challenges or concessions.
Juliano contends that it would be more prudent for cryptocurrency developers to establish their products in alternative countries and subsequently re-enter the United States from a position of strength.
“Cryptocurrency developers would be well-advised to temporarily discontinue catering to the US market and instead seek re-entry in a span of 5-10 years. The complications and compromises involved do not warrant the endeavor. Moreover, a substantial portion of the market exists overseas. It is recommended to innovate in those regions, ascertain product-market fit, and then return with greater bargaining power…
The paramount objective shared among all stakeholders is to secure a significantly more potent product-market fit for cryptocurrency. The pursuit of a robust product-market fit does not necessitate flawless distribution. A multitude of substantial overseas markets present avenues for experimentation.”
Juliano articulates that advocating for more amiable cryptocurrency regulations demands time, although the process could be expedited if developers manage to introduce products that elicit consumer demand.
“However, this perspective does not undermine the importance of efforts to influence US cryptocurrency policy. On the contrary, such endeavors are absolutely vital. Given the protracted timeframe required (in anticipation of re-entry), and considering that much of the world takes cues from the United States, it becomes evident that our progress in shaping policies hinges upon achieving global-scale product usage.”
The dYdX founder proceeds to emphasize that, with time, American citizens will come to realize that cryptocurrency is inherently aligned with US values and principles.
“The tenets of cryptocurrency closely align with American values. What concept could be more quintessentially American and reflective of capitalist ideals than a financial system conceived for the people, driven by the people, and answerable to the people? This, indeed, constitutes the very essence of our endeavor.”
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency investments are subject to market risks, and individuals should seek professional advice before making any investment decisions.
Bloomberg Intelligence’s senior macro strategist, Mike McGlone, is conveying a pessimistic outlook for Bitcoin (BTC) in the immediate future.
During a recent interview on Kitco News, McGlone underscored that Bitcoin is currently displaying bearish signals even amidst the ascent of other high-risk assets.
“In the event of a downturn, adhering to a rule prevalent in bear markets, resources across the board could witness a reduction in value, and Bitcoin will not be an exception.
A crucial observation is the necessity for Bitcoin to exhibit divergent strength at a certain juncture, akin to the behavior of treasury bonds and gold in a deflationary economic environment. Regrettably, this pattern has not materialized.
After attaining its peak towards the conclusion of Q1, reaching approximately $31,000, driven by optimism and the influence of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), Bitcoin subsequently retraced to $25,000 or approximately $26,000. Presently, it is manifesting divergent weakness in contrast to the concurrent upsurge in the stock market.”
According to McGlone’s analysis, the ongoing “economic reset” implies a continuation of Bitcoin’s recent downward trend, although he anticipates that the premier cryptocurrency will ultimately attain a six-figure valuation.
“While I believe that Bitcoin will eventually achieve a valuation of $100,000, the onset of a global economic reset, as I anticipate, characterized by a standard deflationary recession leading to a decline in the housing and stock markets, analogous to the conditions of 2008—though arguably exacerbated due to the ongoing removal of liquidity from the system—Bitcoin’s role as an influential precursor comes to the forefront.
This underscores my point that Bitcoin has recently been taking on the role of a harbinger of trends. Its value ascended briefly to around $31,000, only to subsequently trend downwards. From my perspective, it serves as a leading indicator for a majority of high-risk assets.”
As of the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $26,079.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency investments are subject to market risks, and individuals should seek professional advice before making any investment decisions.
Shiba Inu’s (SHIB) Latest Layer-2 Scaling Solution Nears Public Relaunch Following Recent Technical Challenges
Shytoshi Kusama, the enigmatic lead developer behind the SHIB project, has shared in a recent blog post that significant progress has been made in addressing the technical setbacks that temporarily halted the operation of Shibarium, SHIB’s new layer-2 scaling solution. The initial release of Shibarium encountered network issues that prompted its temporary closure. However, Kusama assured the community that diligent testing and parameter adjustments have led to notable improvements.
Kusama elaborated, stating, “After extensive testing and parameter refinements aimed at achieving a ‘ready’ status, Shibarium has undergone enhancements and optimization. While still undergoing testing, it is now successfully producing blocks.” Additionally, to prevent a recurrence of the past network overload, Kusama revealed the implementation of a new monitoring system and supplementary fail-safe measures. These include rate limiting at the RPC (remote procedure call) level and an automated server reset mechanism in the event of another surge in traffic.
With these advancements in place, the team is on the verge of reopening Shibarium to the public. As part of this progression, more network validators will be integrated into the ecosystem on August 23rd. Kusama emphasized the significance of this step, remarking, “Tomorrow, additional validators will become operational, expanding the options available for staking BONE. This will allow for a distribution of rewards earned through their roles within our community. As testing concludes, we will once again prepare for public utilization.”
Shibarium’s previous technical difficulties were attributed to an overwhelming influx of users and transactions during its initial launch. As of the current writing, SHIB is trading at $0.00000798, marking a 0.4% increase over the past 24 hours.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency investments are subject to market risks, and individuals should seek professional advice before making any investment decisions.
FTX’s co-founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, is currently seeking a temporary release from incarceration. The purpose behind this endeavor is to engage in collaborative strategizing with his legal representatives within the confines of the federal courthouse situated in Manhattan.
In a formal letter dispatched to US District Judge Lewis Kaplan on a Friday, Bankman-Fried’s legal team expounded that their client’s capacity to effectively scrutinize the extensive legal documents pertaining to his case has been significantly curtailed during his time spent incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn.
Christian Everdell, the attorney representing Bankman-Fried, divulged that the government recently disseminated a voluminous three-quarters of a million pages of Slack communications. These were originally due several months prior. Expressing the urgency of the situation, Everdell articulated, “Only last week did the government furnish an aggregate of approximately seven hundred and fifty thousand pages of Slack communications that were originally stipulated for release months ago. Given the current timeline, it is a futile endeavor for Mr. Bankman-Fried to endeavor to review these materials.”
He underlined the pivotal necessity for Bankman-Fried to collaborate meticulously with his legal team, emphasizing his dire need to avail himself of an internet-enabled laptop within the courthouse premises. Such a resource would undoubtedly expedite the process of comprehensive document review, an imperative undertaking in light of his impending fraud trial scheduled for the forthcoming October.
In riposte to Bankman-Fried’s plea for reprieve, the prosecuting body voiced apprehensions regarding his adherence to the prerequisites concerning his planned defense strategy. Notably, they underscored that Bankman-Fried is yet to furnish the complete gamut of essential information regarding the counsel upon which he predicated his actions.
The prosecutors proffered caution that unless Bankman-Fried promptly discloses the minutiae regarding the counsel he received and the provenance thereof, any attempt to interject such a defense during the trial should be summarily proscribed.
Although the prosecutors extended an offer to facilitate the transfer of documents onto hard drives for Bankman-Fried’s perusal within the MDC premises, a viable laptop-based solution was deemed unattainable. Initially, the notion of relocating Bankman-Fried to a more compact, upstate correctional facility where he could access an internet-enabled laptop was contemplated by the prosecutors. However, this proposal was met with resistance from prison officials.
Regarded for its starkly onerous conditions, the Metropolitan Detention Center has cultivated a notorious reputation among its inmate population.
Bankman-Fried’s Incarceration Stemming from Unsanctioned Internet Utilization
As documented, Judge Kaplan sanctioned the re-imprisonment of the beleaguered cryptocurrency luminary, citing alleged instances of witness tampering.
In that juncture, Judge Kaplan pronounced that a strong prima facie case existed indicating that the accused had endeavored to tamper with witnesses on no fewer than two separate occasions.
The decision was additionally influenced by Bankman-Fried’s unsanctioned use of the Internet while released on bail under the guardianship of his parents at their abode located in California.
Judge Kaplan discerned that Bankman-Fried had indulged in excessive communication with various individuals via electronic correspondence, even resorting to the utilization of a virtual private network.
Concurrently, the disgraced progenitor of FTX is simultaneously grappling with novel allegations brought forth by the Department of Justice (DOJ). These allegations encompass the misappropriation of customer deposits, including the purported embezzlement of said funds.
An indictment filed on the most recent Monday delineates that Bankman-Fried stands accused of diverting and embezzling customer deposits from the FTX platform. The illicitly obtained funds were purportedly channeled towards political campaign contributions, collectively amassing a substantial sum exceeding one hundred million dollars, in advance of the 2022 US midterm elections.
The indictment further posits that despite Bankman-Fried’s intimate knowledge of FTX’s fiscal insufficiencies, he continued to channel the purloined funds into personal investments, acquisitions, and political campaign contributions.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency investments are subject to market risks, and individuals should seek professional advice before making any investment decisions.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is taking significant steps towards pursuing an appeal in their recent legal battle against Ripple, indicating a potential shift in the course of the lawsuit.
James K. Filan, an experienced defense attorney specializing in crypto-related legal matters, has shed light on the latest developments. District Judge Analisa Torres has initiated a structured process for considering the SEC’s request to present an interlocutory appeal—a move that would allow the SEC to contest certain aspects of the ongoing case.
It’s important to note that this preliminary step does not guarantee the authorization of an interlocutory appeal; rather, it signifies that the SEC has been given the opportunity to formally request such an appeal.
Judge Torres has outlined the timeline for this process in her official order. The SEC is expected to file their motion for the appeal by August 18th. Subsequently, Ripple is given until September 1st to submit their opposition papers. If the SEC deems it necessary, they have until September 8th to file a reply.
The news of these developments had an immediate impact on the cryptocurrency market. Following the announcement of the judge’s order, the value of XRP experienced a sharp decline. The price, which had been trading at approximately $0.571, dropped to around $0.499 at the time of writing. This decrease of over 12% aligns with the broader trends observed across the cryptocurrency landscape.
The legal clash between the SEC and Ripple began when the regulatory agency filed a lawsuit against the San Francisco-based payments company in late 2020. The SEC alleged that Ripple had engaged in the sale of XRP without registering it as a security.
In a significant turn of events last month, Judge Torres issued a ruling that had mixed implications for both parties. She determined that Ripple’s automated programmatic sales of XRP, which occurred on the open market, could not be classified as securities offerings—a pivotal point of disagreement between the SEC and Ripple.
However, the judge did uphold a key aspect of the SEC’s argument. She agreed with the agency’s assertion that Ripple’s direct sales of XRP to institutional buyers indeed amounted to a securities offering, reinforcing the complexity of the case.
As the legal battle continues to unfold, the spotlight remains on the actions and responses of the SEC and Ripple, and how their ongoing dispute could shape the future regulatory landscape for cryptocurrencies and digital assets.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency investments are subject to market risks, and individuals should seek professional advice before making any investment decisions.
