Description

The utilization of money laundering to obfuscate the origin of illicit proceeds is an insurmountable problem that is the basis for numerous law enforcement investigations in the United States. Constant development of new methods, used and exploited by criminals to hide proceeds from illegal activities, thwart efforts by investigators to identify and seize illicit assets.The continuous advent of new technology introduces new methods for criminals to mask illicit proceeds and present new challenges for investigators, regulators, and legislators (Ajello, 2015). Advances in technology frequently outpace legislation and regulations leaving lawmakers and investigators coping with ways to address technological advancements that enable criminal activity. Crypto-currency, a form of digital currency, was introduced to the economy in approximately 2008 with the introduction of bitcoin. Today, more than 700 digital currencies exist on the open market ("Crypto-Currency," 2016).