Authorities in the U.S and Brazil Disrupt Crypto Fraud Ring

There seems to be a surge in crime related to cryptocurrency as blockchain technology keeps expanding. 

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently reported an investigation by the Brazilian National Police, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and other law enforcement agencies that led to the disruption of crypto-related fraud across several countries but with operational base in Curitiba, Brazil.

A U.S investigation has revealed that 37-year-old Brazilian citizen and former US resident Francisley Valdevino da Silva is the ringleader of a crypto fraud ring. Investors in more than a dozen countries were tricked into believing that there was a well-organized high-end crypto-financial product, when in fact the organization promoted fraudulent cooperation and licensing that enticed victims to invest millions of dollars in questionable cryptos. Ultimately, the cryptocurrency had little or no value.

The Brazilian authorities have also identified a similar fraudulent activity in Brazil with around $800 million wired through the Brazilian banking system alone aside from illegal proceeds transferred through cryptocurrency.

Governments Regulating Crypto-Related Crimes

The increase in online activities has created an opportunity for the growth of criminal activities in the digital ecosystem. Measures have therefore been put in place by different governments across the globe to fight such activities.

The U.S Department of Homeland Security hopes to put an end to the increasing cases of money laundering by creating a special unit called the Cyber Fraud Task Force ( CFTF). To effectively monitor and stop illegal online activity, CFTF investigators must be able to analyze a computer network, monitor IP addresses, and coordinate with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to identify suspicious activity.

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has also proposed methods for businesses operating in the crypto space, particularly exchanges. In the proposal, unhosted wallets properly monitored and transactions above $3,000 from unhosted wallets should be verified before concluding transactions with them.

Image source: Shutterstock