White-Collar Defense
The White-Collar Defense Blog highlights recent developments and analysis from white-collar cases around the country, including healthcare fraud, procurement fraud, cryptocurrency fraud, computer fraud, securities fraud, commodities fraud, import fraud, insider trading, investment fraud, and money laundering.
Cryptocurrency Money Laundering Charges and Investigations: Federal Statutes and Defense Strategies
Cryptocurrency money laundering cases involve far more than digital asset transfers. These cases turn on intent, control, and how federal prosecutors apply traditional statutes like 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956, 1957, and 1960 to blockchain-based activity. This in-depth analysis explains how the DOJ and law enforcement agencies build crypto money laundering cases using blockchain analytics, exchange records, and device evidence. It also outlines the defense strategies that matter most, including challenges to tracing, attribution, forfeiture, and jurisdiction.
DOJ Cryptocurrency Enforcement Memo: Shifting Priorities and Protecting “Retail Investors”
The 2025 DOJ cryptocurrency enforcement strategy took a major turn with the release of a memorandum from the Deputy Attorney General on April 7, 2025. The memo, titled Ending Regulation by Prosecution, outlines a new approach to investigations and prosecutions involving digital assets, signaling a sharp departure from the prior Administration’s enforcement priorities.