The DOJ is looking for someone to helm its new crypto enforcement team

The Department of Justice is looking for a supervisory trial attorney to helm its National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET).

According to a new job posting from the DOJ, the team is focused on "supporting, investigating, and prosecuting crimes involving cryptocurrency and to lead the Department's efforts to reduce the use of cryptocurrency as a criminal tool." The agency is looking for an attorney to act as director of the team.

The director will lead a team of attorneys by setting strategic priorities for crypto investigations and enforcement cases with the help of U.S. Attorney's Offices and investigative agencies, as well as maintaining relationships with federal, state and local branches of law enforcement to coordinate the sharing of information and strategies among them. This includes interactions with some policy setting bodies, like the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The posting also calls for the director to foster private sector relationships to aid enforcement. 

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The efforts furthered by the NCET is a "central part of a nationwide enforcement effort to combat the use of cryptocurrency as an illicit tool," according to the posting.

Those considered will have to have "extensive knowledge" of crypto and blockchain technology, according to the posting. The DOJ is also looking for someone with an understanding of white collar and money laundering statutes. 

The DOJ announced the creation of the NCET earlier this month. In that announcement, the DOJ detailed that the head of the NCET will report to the Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Division. The team will be assembled from the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and other sections in the division with the leader overseeing the coordination among these branches and their NCET-designated attorneys. 

About Author

Aislinn Keely is a reporter on The Block's policy team holding down the legal beat. She covers court decisions, bankruptcies, regulatory actions and other key moments in the legal sphere, putting them in context for the wider crypto industry. Before The Block, she lent her voice to the NPR affiliate WFUV and helmed Fordham University's student newspaper. Send tips or thoughts on all things policy and legal to [email protected] or follow her on Twitter for updates @AislinnKeely.