Congress moves to rebuild crypto crime task force after DOJ dismantled its dedicated crypto team
Congress is considering a Federal Cryptocurrency Theft Task Force inside the Justice Department after DOJ disbanded NCET in April 2025. The bill, backed by Reps. Lance Gooden and Josh Gottheimer, would make the task force the main federal coordination hub for investigating and prosecuting crypto theft, hacks, scams, and coercion cases. It would include DOJ, FBI, DHS/HSI, Treasury/FinCEN, with room for other agencies. The task force would focus on practical support: evidence collection, asset tracing, victim engagement, training, technical assistance, and coordination with state, local, Tribal, territorial, and international partners. It would not regulate crypto markets or change existing regulatory or criminal authority. The proposal reflects a split approach: lighter enforcement toward crypto markets, but stronger coordination for theft victims. Supporters cite rising losses, including more than $11 billion in reported crypto-related losses in FBI data. The main uncertainty is whether a task force without dedicated funding and staffing can deliver real capacity rather than just better coordination.
