The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are under increased pressure from US Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bill Cassidy to step up their efforts to stop the use of cryptocurrencies in the market for child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
In a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, the senators voiced serious concerns and asked for open disclosure of the agencies’ technical capabilities in thwarting crypto-related operations within the CSAM market.
US Senators Highlight Law Enforcement Challenges and Rising Crypto Use in Combating Child Abuse Trade
The letter emphasized the difficulties that current law enforcement techniques and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations face in successfully identifying and stopping these horrible crimes. Utilizing data from analytics company Chainalysis, the senators brought attention to a problematic pattern in a 2024 study that indicated a rise in the use of cryptocurrencies for CSAM deals.
The senators claim that criminals use “mixers” in cryptocurrency and “privacy coins” like Monero to launder money, making it harder for law enforcement to find and capture offenders quickly.
“The pseudonymity provided by cryptocurrency has allowed the payments for CSAM to ‘move quickly into the crypto world,’ and we are committed to ensuring that Congress and the Administration have the full suite of tools needed to end CSAM and punish sellers of this Material,” the letter stated.
Six questions in all, three of which were addressed to the DOJ and DHS concerning their perspectives on the role that cryptocurrency plays in enabling CSAM transactions. The senators also requested information on cutting-edge instruments that would enable law enforcement to track down and prosecute buyers and dealers in this black market.
This closer examination results from recent claims that the cryptocurrency exchange Binance assisted trades involving CSAM content and other illegal acts. Federal officials have filed accusations against the exchange, potentially subjecting Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao to a 36-month prison term.
