US Revenue Collector IRS to Send Four Crypto Crime Investigation Agents Abroad – According to report, the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has planned to dispatch four agents with expertise in cyber and crypto crime to Australia, Colombia, Germany, and Singapore. The four agents are scheduled to participate in a pilot program from June to September 2023, as part of the IRS’s efforts to collect revenue.
The report cites Carissa Cutrell, who is a spokesperson for the IRS, stating that the primary objective of the four agents is to combat the use of cryptocurrency, decentralized finance, and mixing services in international financial and tax crimes. Cutrell also mentioned the IRS’s potential course of action after the 120-day trial program concludes. She said: “Success of the pilot program will hinge on the attachés’ ability to work cooperatively and train our foreign law enforcement counterparts, and build leads for criminal investigations.”
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According to the same report, Chris Janczewski, who previously served as a special agent in the IRS-CI Cyber Crimes Unit, states that the increasing presence of the IRS overseas will assist in streamlining international investigations. In recent years, the agents from the IRS-CI Cyber Crimes Unit have been instrumental in apprehending an individual suspected of operating the drug and hacking services marketplace, Alphabay.
Furthermore, these agents also contributed to the dismantling of a marketplace that facilitated the trade of stolen social security numbers. Janczewski’s statement highlights the IRS’s commitment to combating financial and tax crimes globally, and the efforts of the IRS-CI Cyber Crimes Unit in this regard. Their work has helped to bring notorious criminals to justice and put an end to illegal activities that pose a threat to individuals and institutions alike.
By deploying specialized agents to other countries, the IRS aims to strengthen international cooperation and enhance their ability to track and prosecute offenders, making it more challenging for them to evade the law. Although the IRS-CI Cyber Crimes Unit has proven to be adept at tracking and apprehending cybercriminals, the US revenue collection agency has had only one investigator stationed abroad, located in The Hague, Netherlands.
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Nevertheless, according to a statement made by Guy Ficco, the IRS’ Executive Director for Global Operations Policy and Support for IRS-CI, sending the four specialized agents will provide the agency with even more significant benefits. The deployment of additional agents to different regions across the world will allow the IRS to increase its presence and effectiveness in the fight against international financial and tax crimes.
