News & Analysis as of September 2, 2025

Financial Crimes

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Virtual Currency (aka Digital Currency or Digital Money) is a type of currency or medium of exchange that is not issued by any government nor guaranteed by a government currency. Despite lacking legal tender status, Virtual Currency is still traded and exchanged in some environments, typically online environments or communities. Bitcoin is the most well-known form of Virtual Currency. less -

FinCEN’s Focus on Cryptocurrency Kiosks and Financial Crime

Ballard Spahr LLP on 8/26/2025

On August 4, 2025, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) issued Notice FIN-2025-NTC1 (the “Notice”) to address mounting concerns over regulatory risks related to convertible virtual currency (“CVC”) kiosks, also...more

First Stand-Alone Crypto Tax Fraud Case Leads to Guilty Plea

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP on 10/24/2024

On September 12, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced that Frank Richard Ahlgren III pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return underreporting gains from selling $3.7 million in Bitcoin. As we discussed...more

PA Department of Banking and Securities: Virtual Currency is “Money”

Ballard Spahr LLP on 5/14/2024

On April 20, 2024, the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (“DoBS”) issued a policy statement (“Policy Statement”) to “clarify” that the Department’s interpretation of the term “money” in the Pennsylvania Money...more

Blockchain Analysis and Related Expert Testimony Admissible In Criminal Trial

Ballard Spahr LLP on 3/19/2024

It is challenging for law enforcement to track down and trace illicit activities conducted through digital currencies. The process can be very time- and resource-intensive. Further, securing charges and arrests, and...more

Privacy Tip #316 – Dabbling in Crypto? Be Wary of Rug Pulls

Robinson+Cole Data Privacy + Security Insider on 1/28/2022

It’s very hard to keep up with digital and crypto lingo. But if you are dabbling in crypto, you need to know about rug pulls. What is a rug pull you ask? According to blogger Migi Delfin, “A rug pull is a fraud scheme that...more

What to Know About the DOJ’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team

The Volkov Law Group on 11/12/2021

In early October, U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco announced the creation of the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (“NCET”). The NCET will handle the Department’s investigations...more

United States Department of Justice Announces National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team and Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative

Jenner & Block on 10/15/2021

Ransomware attacks have become increasingly common and, according to the NSA Director, are projected to continue growing in prevalence. Amidst the rise in ransomware attacks, last week the United States Department of Justice...more

Privacy Tip #271 – Getting In on the Cryptocurrency Frenzy? Assess Risk of Theft First

Robinson+Cole Data Privacy + Security Insider on 2/11/2021

Oh, if I had just bought that Bitcoin when I first thought about it a decade ago…I might risk a flight to Fiji right now, which is on my bucket list, even in the midst of the pandemic. Alas, I didn’t, because I assessed the...more

What 2021 Has in Store for Stablecoin

Morgan Lewis on 1/12/2021

The year 2020 won’t soon be forgotten. Despite the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic presented on a global scale, 2020 ushered in new ways of thinking about stablecoin, a type of cryptocurrency that attempts to peg its...more

John McAfee Meet Agent Smith

Polsinelli on 11/6/2020

Agent Smith in the Matrix described humans as a “virus. A disease, a cancer of this planet. You are a plague, and we are the cure.” While not alleging all human beings are a virus, the U.S. government views John McAfee, the...more

Sorry, No Picture Of George Or Abe, But Still Money

Fox Rothschild LLP on 7/27/2020

Recently, the United States District Court of the District of Columbia refused to dismiss money laundering charges against a defendant who was allegedly engaged in a darknet cryptocurrency scheme. See U.S. v. Harmon, Case...more

Two Chinese Nationals Charged with Money Laundering Over $100 Million in Cryptocurrency for North Korea

Ballard Spahr LLP on 3/12/2020

Case Sheds Light on Latest Methods to Evade Detection: “Peeling” Chains - On March 2, the U.S. government sanctioned and indicted two Chinese nationals for helping North Korea launder nearly $100 million in stolen...more

BitBlog Bi-Weekly Update - March 2020

Polsinelli on 3/4/2020

Strikeout for Bitcoin ETF - Another ETF bites the dust. On February 26th the SEC rejected the application of NYSE Acre for the approval of an exchange traded fund sponsored by the New York firm of Wilshire Phoenix to...more

IRS CI Highlights International Efforts to Tackle Cryptocurrency Abuse, Money Laundering and Tax Evasion

Ballard Spahr LLP on 12/10/2019

ABA Tax Fraud Panel to Discuss IRS CI and Crypto Criminals - The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS CI) has made it clear that it is focusing on the abuse of digital currencies to further tax evasion,...more

The “J5” is on to Cryptocurrencies

Foodman CPAs & Advisors on 8/24/2018

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) issued a “call to action” for countries to do more to tackle enablers of tax crimes. The result of this “call to action” was the establishment of an...more

FinCEN Director Addresses Virtual Currency and Touts Regulatory Leadership and Value of SAR Filings

Ballard Spahr LLP on 8/13/2018

Address Emphasizes Role of SARs in Fighting Illegal Activity, Including Drug Dealing Fueling the Opioid Crisis - Kenneth Blanco, the Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”), discussed last week...more

Cryptocurrency Compliance: The Importance of Internal Investigations

The Volkov Law Group on 7/3/2018

For those still new to the sector, Coinbase has established itself as one of (if not the) most prominent cryptocurrency exchanges operating in the U.S. Coinbase, to the delight of compliance officers everywhere, has been...more

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