US senators Elizabeth Warren and Bill Cassidy are urging the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security to intensify efforts to curb the use of cryptocurrency for payments related to child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online. They argue that the anonymity provided by crypto transactions enables offenders to avoid detection by law enforcement.
In a letter addressed to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, the senators reference data from the US Treasury’s Financial Crime Enforcement Network, research from Chainalysis, and the Internet Watch Foundation to highlight the increasing use of cryptocurrency in illicit CSAM activities. Financial institutions identified 1,800 bitcoin wallets suspected of involvement in transactions related to child sexual exploitation between 2020 and 2022.
To combat this issue, Warren and Cassidy have requested the DOJ and DHS to share their research on the extent of crypto’s involvement in the CSAM problem and the challenges in prosecuting such crimes. The agencies have until May 10 to respond to these inquiries.
Warren, known for her criticisms of cryptocurrency, has faced backlash from the crypto community for her proposed anti-money laundering legislation. She believes that the crypto industry should be held to the same regulatory standards as traditional financial institutions to prevent abuse by criminal entities, including those involved in CSAM activities.
