“You have to fight AI with AI.”

In this episode, we take a slight detour from our planned look at Consensus 24 to bring you a special conversation with Matt O’Neil, co-founder and partner at 50H Consulting and former Deputy Special Agent in Charge of Cyber at the @US Secret Service.

Matt shares his unique insights and experiences with our host, Aidan Larkin. Together, they delve into the challenges of asset recovery and forfeiture, especially those concerning cyber-enabled fraud.

They discuss why the Secret Service investigates financial crimes, the importance of leveraging emerging technologies like AI to combat sophisticated transnational cybercrime and the necessity for enhanced information-sharing practices between the public and private sectors.

Timestamps

00:00 - Matt’s journey with the US Secret Service

05:00 - Using asset seizures to fight cyber-enabled fraud

09:30 - The Secret Service's role in investigating financial crime

12:00 - Challenges in asset recovery and forfeiture

15:00 - Operation Shamrock and enhancing cross-sector information-sharing

22:30 - Reimagining regulations for technology and finance

29:00 - Understanding a typical scam case

31:30 - Leveraging AI to combat transnational crime

35:30 - Future trends in financial crime and asset recovery

Resources Mentioned:

• Operation Shamrock
• Erin West and Pig Butchering on Seize & Desist

About our Guest:

Matt O’Neil has over 25 years of experience disrupting and dismantling financially motivated transnational organised criminal groups with the US Secret Service.

As the former Managing Director of the USSS Global Cyber Investigative Operations Center (GIOC) and Cyber Intelligence Section (CIS), Matt was instrumental in coordinating international takedowns of digital money laundering networks and dark web marketplaces. His efforts led to the prosecution of globally notorious cybercriminals responsible for stealing and laundering billions. He also led their Asset Forfeiture Branch to successfully recover more than US$2 billion in seized assets in just 2 years.

Since retiring from the Secret Service, Matt has dedicated himself to raising awareness for the threats posed by transnational organised crimes like pig butchering, ransomware and phishing.

Disclaimer

Our podcasts are for informational purposes only. They are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, and/or investment advice. Listeners must consult their own advisors before making decisions on the topics discussed.

Asset Reality has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material.

The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Asset Reality employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company.

Asset Reality does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material.

Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Asset Reality.

“As long as you have these continued gaps in the global regulatory framework around crypto, it’s…too easy for criminals to launder funds.”

In this episode, recorded on April 30th, Aidan and David discuss everything from his early encounters with crypto and his journey into the space to the insights on the evolution of crypto crime shared in his book, ‘The Crypto Launderers’.

Together, they explore the different regulatory approaches to digital money laundering, shed light on why crypto transactions get so much attention from regulators and speculate on the exciting future of cryptocurrency investigations, including the impact of emerging technologies like the metaverse and artificial intelligence.

Timestamps

03:30 - An Accidental Journey into Cryptocurrency Compliance

05:00 - Understanding Anti-Money Laundering Measures in Finance

09:30 - Cryptocurrency Regulation in an Evolving Industry

12:00 - Regulatory Compliance as a Competitive Advantage

15:00 - Balancing Compliance Costs with Anti-Money Laundering

20:00 - Global Disparities in Cryptocurrency Regulation

21:00 - The Complex Evolution of Cryptocurrency in Illicit Finance

25:00 - Blockchain: The Immutable Ledger of Cryptocurrency Transactions

30:00 - Evolving Tactics in Cryptocurrency Crime and Law Enforcement

35:00 - The Future of Global Money Laundering Prevention

37:00 - Evolving Challenges in International Law Enforcement

Resources Mentioned:

• The Crypto Launderers: Crime and Cryptocurrencies from the Dark Web to DeFi and Beyond: Amazon.co.uk: Carlisle, David
• Elliptic’s Crypto Regulatory Affairs Briefing
• Elliptic’s Blog
• RUSI's Center for Financial Crime and Security Studies

About our Guest:

David Carlisle wears many hats: he's the Vice President of Policy and Regulatory Affairs at Elliptic, an Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)'s Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies (CFS) and the Author of “The Crypto Launderers: Crime and Cryptocurrencies from the Dark Web to DeFi and Beyond”.

As a former Policy Advisor to the US Treasury’s Office of Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes, David is a respected authority on the intersection of cryptocurrency crime, technology and public policy. He regularly shares his expertise on digital money laundering, regulatory compliance frameworks and sanctions compliance with major media outlets to help shed light on this intricate subject.

Disclaimer

Our podcasts are for informational purposes only. They are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, and/or investment advice. Listeners must consult their own advisors before making decisions on the topics discussed.

Asset Reality has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material.

The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Asset Reality employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company.

Asset Reality does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material.

Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Asset Reality.

“The speed at which this happens is faster than anything we’ve seen before.”

In this episode, Seize & Desist host Aidan Larkin is joined by Jarod Koopman, the Executive Director of Cyber and Forensic Services at IRS Criminal Investigations.

As the only federal law enforcement agency to focus completely on fighting financial crimes, IRS Criminal Investigations has seized more digital assets than any other agency in the world. Aidan and Jarod discuss the secret to IRS-CI’s status as a world leader in digital currency investigations, the reliability of blockchain analytics data in court and the lasting impact of asset seizures on criminal behaviour.

Jarod shares his thoughts on the legitimacy of cryptocurrency transactions, the necessary compliance guidelines, and the parallels between Brazilian jiu-jitsu and cryptocurrency investigations.

Timestamps

01:00 - IRS's Expertise in Cybercrime and Asset Seizures

05:30 - Unveiling the Success Behind Major Investigations

07:00 - Revolutionizing Transactional Analysis with Blockchain Tools

11:30 - Collaborative Innovation in Cybercrime Investigations

13:30 - Evaluating FATF's Effectiveness in Asset Recovery

16:00 - Balancing Privacy and Crime Prevention

19:30 - Explaining Cryptocurrency Mixers and Blockchain Laundering

20:00 - Legitimate Uses of Cryptocurrency Amongst the Illicit Activity

25:30 - The Impact of Asset Seizure in Fighting Crime

30:00 - Law Enforcement and the Evolving Digital Landscape

33:00 - Fostering Resilience and Innovation

36:00 - Why Martial Arts Promotes Success in the Investigative Services

41:00 - Civil Forfeiture in Asset Recovery

44:00 - Validating Blockchain Analytics in Legal Judgments

Resources Mentioned:

• Jarod on the TRM Talks Podcast
• Samourai Wallet Founders Arrested and Charged With Money Laundering
• IRS Criminal Investigations on LinkedIn

About our Guest:

Jarod Koopman is the Executive Director of Cyber and Forensic Services at IRS Criminal Investigations and a black belt in Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu.

He joined the IRS directly after college, rising through the ranks to become the agency's first director of cybercrime. In this role, Jarod oversees all global operations involving cyber and forensic activities, including policy, procedures, budget and investigative services. He also oversees the operation of their new centralised Advanced Collaboration and Data Center (ACDC) which specialises in training and support for crypto compliance.

Disclaimer

Our podcasts are for informational purposes only. They are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, and/or investment advice. Listeners must consult their own advisors before making decisions on the topics discussed.

Asset Reality has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material.

The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Asset Reality employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company.

Asset Reality does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material.

Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Asset Reality.

“Crypto will be a piece in almost every investigation.”

In this episode, Ari and Aidan explore the pivotal role of blockchain analytics in crime prevention.

They delve into why traceable technologies like the blockchain appeal to both criminals and law enforcement agencies, shedding light on how mixing services can facilitate money laundering and examining the evolution of digital currency investigations using real-world examples like the Bitfinex hack.

Ari shares insights from his experiences in both the public and private sectors, including his first encounter with investigating crypto-enabled crimes.

Throughout the episode, they emphasize the importance of balancing financial transparency with individual privacy and advocate for increased education and resources to enable law enforcement agencies to effectively tackle crypto crimes.

Timestamps

02:30 - Networking and motivation through Ari’s running club

05:30 - Tackling the complexities of illicit finance and crypto recovery

10:00 - Libra's impact on global regulatory conversations

14:30 - Understanding cryptocurrency's regulatory challenges

21:30 - The normalization of crypto technology

30:00 - Cryptocurrency's role in modern asset recovery investigations

35:33 - Balancing privacy, innovation and security in the digital age

46:45 - Combating scams and enhancing crypto asset recovery

50:45 - Ari’s advice for fighting crypto-enabled crimes

Resources Mentioned:

• TRM LEA Survey 23: 60% of investigations start w/o a crypto element
• TRM Talks Podcast
• TRM Weekly Roundup Newsletter
• TRM’s Illicit Crypto Economy Report 2023

About our Guest:

Ari Redbord is the Global Head of Policy at blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs and the Vice-Chair of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission's Technology Advisory Committee (TAC), known for his insights on cryptocurrency policy.

Prior to TRM, Ari served as the Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia and the Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence at the US Treasury, where he regularly collaborated with teams from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCen) to investigate financial crimes involving cryptocurrency assets.

Disclaimer

Our podcasts are for informational purposes only. They are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, and/or investment advice. Listeners must consult their own advisors before making decisions on the topics discussed.

Asset Reality has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material.

The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Asset Reality employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company.

Asset Reality does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material.

Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Asset Reality.

“Crypto exposed every crack in an undereducated, underutilised system.”

In this episode, recorded on the 15th of February, Aidan and Amanda delve into the world of digital asset recovery, exploring the complexities of civil forfeiture and the use of cryptocurrency to finance terrorism.

Drawing from her extensive background in policy, enforcement and legal affairs, Amanda offers valuable insights into how these experiences have shaped her perspective on cryptocurrency and the future of decentralisation.

Their conversation also touches on why the significance of initiatives like the Association for Women in Cryptocurrency, as Amanda emphasizes the need to improve inclusivity and empowerment across the digital finance ecosystem.

Timestamps

02:00 | Amanda's background as a federal prosecutor

06:30 | Civil vs criminal burden of proof

09:30 | The pros and cons of non-conviction-based forfeiture

18:00 | Cryptocurrency exposes the flaws in the existing asset recovery system

25:00 | Crime and innovation on the path to development

31:00 | The importance of optics in targeting crypto terrorist financing

41:00 | Why we need an Association for Women in Cryptocurrency

43:30 | #UnmanelYourPanel and other advocacy initiatives

46:00 | The importance of male allies to improve inclusion for women

Resources Mentioned:

• WomeninCrypto.org
• Association for Women in Cryptocurrency on LinkedIn
• Association for Women in Cryptocurrency on Twitter (X)
• Women in Crypto Podcast: Decrypting Asset Recovery in Crypto with Joanna Summers

About our Guest:

Amanda Wick is a prominent figure in the world of cryptocurrency and digital finance with an extensive background in policy enforcement and legal affairs.

Having served as the Senior Investigative Counsel for the US House of Representatives, Senior Policy Advisor for the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and the Chief of Legal Affairs at Chainalysis, Amanda has been a driving force behind some of the key policies shaping our financial landscape.

As the founder of the Association for Women in Cryptocurrency, Amanda is dedicated to fostering inclusivity and empowerment within the digital finance ecosystem, championing initiatives like ‘UnManel Your Panel’ that aim to break down barriers and pave the way for a more diverse industry.

Disclaimer

Our podcasts are for informational purposes only. They are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, and/or investment advice. Listeners must consult their own advisors before making decisions on the topics discussed.

Asset Reality has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material.

The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Asset Reality employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company.

Asset Reality does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material.



Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Asset Reality.

“This is a massive romance investment scam that is bleeding the world of its money.”

On the 27th of February 2024, Asset Reality’s co-founder and CEO Aidan Larkin had the opportunity to sit down with Erin West to explore the real-world consequences of cyber-enabled crimes like pig butchering.

In this eye-opening conversation, Erin exposes the industrial scale of pig butchering sweatshops, revealing how even the 'scammers' themselves are often victims of trafficking.

Erin and Aidan discuss why a unified global response and drastic policy reforms are the only way to confront this escalating crisis effectively and highlight Operation Shamrock’s plan to educate the global public, seize the illicit proceeds and disrupt the activities of criminal networks.

Timestamps

04:00 | Erin West's background as a prosecutor and her mission to combat pig butchering

07:00 | The REACT task force and its role in investigating high-tech crimes

13:00 | Underestimating the emotional toll on victims of financial fraud

19:00 | Examples of transnational organized crime in Southeast Asia

27:00 | Operation Shamrock’s efforts to educate, seize, and disrupt cybercriminals

34:00 | Erin West explains how hackers use SIM swaps to gain access to financial accounts

38:00 | The dangers of crypto and the importance of authenticator tools for security

40:00 | The power of raising awareness through media coverage and public attention

45:00 | Why a unified global response is the only way to combat pig butchering scams

52:00 | Erin’s advice for potential victims of fraud

Resources Mentioned:

• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - February 25, 2024: Pig Butchering
• UNODC Report:Transnational Organized Crime in East and Southeast Asia
• NY Times Story: 7 Months Inside an Online Scam Labor Camp
• Operation Shamrock
• Erin West on LinkedIn

About our Guest:

Erin West is one of the leading voices in transnational organised crime prevention and a passionate advocate for the rights of victims of financial crimes, particularly those affected by pig butchering.

As the Deputy District Attorney in Santa Clara County in the state of California, she collaborates with detectives and prosecutors as part of the REACT task force to investigate and address cyber-enabled crimes. Erin is on a mission to improve the practical support available for the most affected vulnerable victims through her latest initiative, Operation Shamrock.

Disclaimer

Our podcasts are for informational purposes only. They are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, and/or investment advice. Listeners must consult their own advisors before making decisions on the topics discussed.

Asset Reality has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material.

The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Asset Reality employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company.

Asset Reality does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material.

Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Asset Reality.