The US department of Justice Is Recruiting a crypto attorney For their Criminal division

The U.S. Department of Justice has published a notice seeking a Trial Attorney that specializes in digital currency and blockchain technology. The DOJ’s recruitment of an attorney for their criminal division, indicates an amping up of their efforts to regulate the cryptocurrency space.

According to the notice, published on the DOJ’s website, the position they are looking to fill is a Trial Attorney for the Digital Currency Initiative in the Special Financial Investigations Unit of the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS).

The position itself requires at least five years post J.D. legal experience, and specifically that the attorney has “Extensive knowledge pertaining to digital currencies and blockchain technology”.

Additionally, one of the key points laid out in the job description is that the incumbent:

“Works closely with U.S. Attorney's Offices, Department components, and investigative agencies involved in digital currency investigations to develop a comprehensive, nationwide strategy in which information and evidence is exchanged, investigative actions are coordinated, and the indictments, arrests, forfeiture actions, and prosecutions are planned and coordinated.”

Following the recent ransomware attacks on the Colonial Pipeline Infrastructure, it seems that the government is looking to increase its regulatory powers that particularly focuses on the criminal division that focuses on blockchain/cryptocurrency related crimes.

Cybersecurity threats are being taken very seriously by the US government, particularly following the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack by hackers. While the government was able to extract the majority of the ransom paid out, the question that still remains is when it will happen again.

The criminal hacking group DarkSide that targeted the corporation Colonial Pipeline, were able to gain 75BTC (then $4.4 million) from the corporation. A decision that was followed by the  DOJ and FBI and worked together to retrieve the Bitcoin ransom. 

It is likely that the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI will continue to work together in matters pertaining to crypto-based ransomware attacks, and the notice provided seems to confirm this, stating the incumbent will be required to “maintain relationships with partners at the U.S. Attorney's Offices, other litigating components and offices, and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that investigate and prosecute digital currency cases, as well as with partners at regulatory agencies, the intelligence community, and private industry”

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.