Insights
December 22, 2023

TRM's Kyle Armstrong Sits Down with Former FBI Section Chief Bryan Smith to Discuss the Evolution of Crypto Tracing at the FBI

TRM InsightsInsights
TRM's Kyle Armstrong Sits Down with Former FBI Section Chief Bryan Smith to Discuss the Evolution of Crypto Tracing at the FBI

Kyle Armstrong, TRM’s Director of Law Enforcement Relations, sits down with former FBI Cyber Criminal Operations unit Section Chief Bryan Smith for an in-depth discussion about the FBI’s investigative approach, and the evolution of tracking and tracing illicit crypto along the blockchain.

They delve into the FBI's proactive disruption of the Qakbot botnet which affected an estimated 700,000 computers worldwide and caused substantial financial losses. Using traditional investigative techniques as well as blockchain tracing, the FBI and its partners were able to identify, track, and seize over USD 8.6 million worth of bitcoin.

Read the full case study here.

This is some text inside of a div block.
Subscribe and stay up to date with our insights
arrow right
August 24, 2023

FBI Seizes Millions in Non-Bitcoin Cryptocurrency in Second Quarter of 2023

arrow right
January 26, 2024

Must-Know Crypto Investigations of 2023: North America

arrow right
January 19, 2023

Tracers in the Dark: An Inside Look into Cracking Crypto's Biggest Cases

Access our coverage of TRON, Solana and 23 other blockchains

Fill out the form to speak with our team about investigative professional services.

Services of interest
Select
Transaction Monitoring/Wallet Screening
Training Services
Training Services
 
By clicking the button below, you agree to the TRM Labs Privacy Policy.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
No items found.
A blue rectangle with geometric shapes in the background and dots connected by thin lines in the foreground, representing connections on the bockchain.
WHITE PAPER
Explore four ways TRM improves compliance in the modern sanctions enforcement era
Download the white paper →
Illustration of a pig butchering chart featuring various cryptocurrency logos in each section, with a bright blue sheriff's badge on top, symbolizing law enforcement's role in combating fraud.
CASE STUDY
See how Deputy District Attorney Erin West and the REACT Task Force are fighting back against pig butchering
WATCH THE VIDEO →
Illustration of an eye, skull and crossbones, and a pie chart on a light blue background, symbolizing the dangers of crypto scams and financial fraud.
REPORT
Explore the key trends that shaped that the illicit crypto economy in 2023
GET THE REPORT →
Close-up photograph of the United States Capitol building with snow falling
BLOG
Learn why cryptocurrency has become a central issue in the 2024 US election
READ THE POST
Illustration of a Russian doll toy containing a ransomware attack inside the smallest one
REPORT
Take a deep-dive into the Russian-speaking illicit crypto ecosystem
READ THE FULL REPORT
Outline of pig with law enforcement shield overlaid
Case Study
Learn more about how the REACT Task Force is tackling pig butchering
Read the case study
Illustration of a Russian doll toy containing a ransomware attack inside the smallest one
REPORT
Explore recent ransomware trends in the Russian-speaking crypto ecosystem—including the role of ransomware groups in cybercrime around the world
GET THE REPORT
Person typing on a laptop keyboard with dark blue filtered overlay
BLOG POST
Learn about summer 2024’s spate of ransomware attacks, and the proliferation of RaaS around the world
READ THE POST
REPORT
Learn about cryptocurrency’s role in the international synthetic drug precursor market
GET THE REPORT