A group of U.S. Democratic lawmakers led by Senator Elizabeth Warren is pushing back against the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) recent decision to disband its National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET), warning that it could weaken the fight against crypto-fueled crime.
In an April 10 letter to the DOJ, the lawmakers expressed “deep concern” over the abrupt shutdown of the specialized unit, which was tasked with investigating illicit activities tied to digital assets. The group argued the move risks creating a blind spot in federal law enforcement just as crypto-related crimes continue to rise.
DOJ Defends Refocus on Individual Prosecutions
The DOJ shuttered NCET on April 7, claiming the change will help the agency focus on prosecuting individual bad actors rather than scrutinizing the crypto industry as a whole. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated the DOJ “is not a digital asset regulator” and should not pursue “regulation by prosecution.”
According to Blanche, new guidance will deprioritize investigations into crypto exchanges, wallets, and privacy tools—unless they are directly linked to illegal activity.
Lawmakers Warn Against Scaling Back Enforcement
Senator Warren and her colleagues, however, argue that dismantling NCET sends the wrong message. They cited the team’s success in major enforcement actions, including sanctions-related charges against Tornado Cash and investigations of North Korean-linked hackers.
“The dissolution of NCET threatens to unravel hard-won progress in combating financial crimes that exploit digital assets,” the letter warned.
The lawmakers called on the DOJ to explain its decision and outline how it plans to maintain strong enforcement against crypto-related crime moving forward.
Kosta gushterov
Reporter at Coindoo
Kosta has been a part of the team since 2021 and has solidified his position with a thirst for knowledge, incredible dedication to his work and a “detective-like” mindset. He not only covers a wide range of trending topics, he also creates reviews, PR articles and educational content. His work has also been referenced by other news outlets.
Source: https://coindoo.com/senator-warren-blasts-doj-for-axing-crypto-crime-unit/
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