Seizing Cryptocurrency & Digital Assets
Topics Covered:
- Digital asset wallets; desktop and mobile
- Hardware wallets and signing devices
- Non-fungible tokens (NFTs)
- Establishing cryptocurrency wallets
- Hot wallets vs. cold wallets
- Pre-Seizure planning
- Seizing process & legal templates
- Operational security considerations to prevent loss of access to funds
- Documentation, chain of custody and documentation processes
- Centralized exchange account freezing, seizure
- Post-seizure management and custody
- Return and disposition considerations
- Real-life Case Studies
Course Overview:
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This cryptocurrency seizure course equips law enforcement and financial investigators with the skills to identify, trace, and lawfully seize illicit cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and other digital assets.
For assets held on exchanges (custodial wallets), class participants will learn how to work directly with the exchange to freeze and recover the cryptocurrency. Various legal processes will be discussed, and templates will be provided to include letterhead memos, subpoenas, court orders, and search warrants. Up-to-date terminology and pertinent information required by most exchanges will be highlighted during this block of instruction. In-depth practical exercises will be used to prepare the required legal documents to process as seizure.
For non-custodial wallets, officers must secure the private keys or recovery phrases to transfer assets into secure, agency-controlled wallets. Strict chain-of-custody protocols will be discussed. Class participants will learn how to manually transfer digital assets from a suspect’s wallet to a wallet controlled by the seizing agency.
Several real-life case studies will be presented to demonstrate methods to initiate a cryptocurrency case from start to finish. The courses emphasize step-by-step procedures for seizing, safeguarding, and legally transferring digital assets from a suspect’s wallet to agency-controlled wallets.
All class participants will receive access to CT Pro, which is a powerful blockchain analytical engine. CT Pro will be used for the practical seizure exercises and legal documentation.