The advent of digital currency made criminal investigations a lot more complicated. But blockchain analysis tools used by federal investigators are already surprisingly sophisticated. An investigative journalist for Wired magazine delves deep into the weeds.
Like eBay for Crime
In California, in 2016, a team was assembled to flush out individual money launderers and drug dealers on the dark web. This group soon discovered AlphaBay — an underworld clearinghouse for cybercrimes and drugs and the largest black market on the dark web. At its center, they found a crime boss who was caught, in part, because of his extravagant lifestyle. Note to would-be secret drug lords: avoid spending $40k on a single meal.
