The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is providing Ukrainian law enforcement agencies with tools and training to help them analyze the blockchain and track crypto assets held by sanctioned Russian oligarchs.
The IRS Criminal Investigation Agency (IRS-CI) conducted a virtual training for 50 Ukrainian law enforcement officers in April and plans to hold an in-person training in Germany for 20 officers this week and next week, according to a new press release.
The agency also donated licenses for the blockchain forensics software Chainalysis Reactor.
IRS-CI chief Jim Lee says the training can help safeguard both the US financial system and the global economy.
“Global financial crimes often consist of complex webs of offshore holdings and anonymous transactions. These trainings help participants can hone their digital investigative skills to trace the source of blockchain funds and unmask cryptocurrency transactions with cryptocurrency forensic tools.”
The IRS-CI trainings involve officials from the Cyber Police Department of the National Police of Ukraine, the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine, the Department of Cyber and Information Security of the Security Service of Ukraine, and the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine.
Eduard Fedorov, the acting director of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine, says it’s important for Ukrainian law enforcement to identify all Russian assets in their country.
“We resist the aggressor state not only on the battlefield, but also on the economic front.”
Don't Miss a Beat – Subscribe to get email alerts delivered directly to your inboxGenerated Image: Midjourney