The US Department of Justice (DoJ) has announced intentions to expand its cryptocrime section. Nicole Argentieri, the Chief Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, said on July 20 that the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET) would join forces.
The united force will be more effective in preventing and prosecuting cryptocurrencies-related offenses. The NCET has had significant success since its founding in 2021; now it will work under the huge CCIPS umbrella, providing it access to even more resources and manpower.
Most significantly, the number of criminal division attorneys in charge of dealing with crypto-related issues has more than quadrupled. It is conceivable to assign every CCIPS attorney to an NCET case, significantly improving their capacity to investigate and prosecute individuals responsible for ransomware attacks and other cybercrimes.
Claudia Quiroz, a seasoned legal practitioner and the current deputy director of NCET, is in charge of the reinvigorated team. She formerly served as an assistant attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.
The “super-charged” team will initially focus on thwarting ransomware assaults, with the overriding objective of discovering and halting cybercriminals before they can escape to ransomware safe havens like Russia.
This decision is noteworthy because it illustrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to predicting and reacting to growing digital dangers. With its new organizational structure and leadership, the Department of Justice (DoJ) is preparing to unleash a strong force to safeguard the bitcoin sector from exploitation and make the internet a more secure place for everyone to live.
