Inside the FBI: Crypto, Crime and National Security

Season 3 Episode 172

With over a decade of experience, James Barnacle (Deputy Assistant Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)) joins Jonathan Levin (CEO & Co-founder, Chainalysis) for a deep dive into the nexus of cybercrime, cryptocurrency and the evolving challenges faced by law enforcement.

James shares insights into the history and progression of the FBI’s strategies in combating cryptocurrency-enabled crimes, shedding light on intricate cases involving ransomware, fraud, and terrorism financing.

This conversation goes in depth on the FBI’s approach to multi-agency cooperation, including the establishment of the Virtual Assets Unit and response teams across field offices and the importance of victim reporting when it comes to pig butchering and other crypto investment schemes.

This is an episode you won’t forget.

Minute-by-minute episode breakdown

2 | Background of James Barnacle

4 | Beginning of the FBI's Involvement with Cryptocurrency

7 | The Evolution of Cryptocurrency Use in Criminal Investigations

10 | Establishment of the Virtual Assets Unit in the FBI

14 | FBI’s Approach to Ransomware Investigations

20 | International Private Sector Collaboration and Strategy in Fraud Cases

25 | Addressing Elderly Fraud and Pig Butchering

31 | Impact of Sanctions on Fraud Prevention

37 | North Korea's Involvement in Cryptocurrency Theft

40 | Importance of AI and Machine Learning in Law Enforcement

48 | Encouragement for Public and Private Sector Cooperation

Related resources

Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key.

Speakers on today’s episode

Jonathan Levin (CEO & Co-founder,

Podcast Episode Details

Inside the FBI: Crypto, Crime and National Security