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ARTICLE · 15 OCTOBER 2021

Twin DOJ Initiatives Tackle Cybersecurity Fraud And Cryptocurrency Enforcement

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On October 6, 2021, the DOJ announced two new initiatives: the Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative and the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team.

United StatesTechnology
Natasha Kohne
Natasha Kohne
Michelle Reed
Michelle Reed
James J. Benjamin Jr.
James J. Benjamin Jr.
Ian Patrick McGinley
Ian Patrick McGinley
Michael Asaro
Michael Asaro
Peter I. Altman
Peter I. Altman
Michael J. Vernick
Michael J. Vernick
Angela B. Styles
Angela B. Styles
Chris Chamberlain
Chris Chamberlain
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Key Points

  • On October 6, 2021, the DOJ announced two new initiatives: the Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative and the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team.
  • The Civil Cyber-Fraud Initiative will fight rising cyber threats to government contractors and grant recipients. This initiative will involve enforcement of the False Claims Act to pursue cybersecurity related fraud by government contractors and grant recipients to penalize entities and individuals that knowingly provide deficient cybersecurity, misrepresent their cybersecurity practices, or violate their obligations to report incidents and data breaches.
  • The newly created National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team will pursue prosecutions against cryptocurrency exchanges and other entities that enable the misuse of cryptocurrency to commit criminal activity, such as money laundering or the receipt of ransomware payments. The team will also help to recover cryptocurrency lost to fraud and extortion,

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