FinCEN Hires DOJ Crypto Czar as Senior Chief Digital Currency Advisor

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The US Financial Crime Network (FinCEN) said on Tuesday it was adding a “chief digital currency adviser” to its ranks.

Michele Korver, who joined the US Department of Justice as the first ‘digital currency advisor’ at the end of 2017, will consult with interim FinCEN director Michael Mosier on the role of cryptocurrency in crime financial.

The rental offers another sign that FinCEN is renewing its focus on crypto.

Related: Cryptocurrencies High on FinCEN’s First List of ‘National Priorities’

“Ms. Korver will advance FinCEN’s leadership role in the digital currency space by working with internal and external partners towards strategic and innovative solutions to prevent and mitigate illicit financial practices and exploitation,” said FinCEN in a press release.

While this is the first such position at FinCEN, it is not the first time the agency has hired someone with crypto experience. Mosier himself worked for blockchain detective firm Chainalysis as a technical director.

Earlier this year, Korver wrote a section explaining how cryptocurrencies can be used by criminals in the Department of Justice’s Journal of Federal Law and Practice.

Along with co-author Alexandra Comolli, Korver wrote that crypto is likely to be less and less associated with money laundering as it becomes more widely accepted.

Related: Republican Senator Asks FinCEN to Reconsider Controversial Crypto Rule

“In the early days of cryptocurrency, much of the activity was linked to illegal behavior on the dark web, which is why closing dark web markets could impact the value of bitcoin,” he said. she wrote. “But as the widespread adoption of cryptocurrency has increased, the percentage of transactions used to promote or cover up crime has also declined.”

Nate DiCamillo contributed reporting.

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