Chainalysis Honors U.S. Public Sector Leaders with 2024 Customer Awards
Chainalysis has launched its inaugural Customer Awards Program, recognizing the efforts of its U.S. public sector customers in employing innovative methods to enhance safety. The awards were announced at the Chainalysis Trace DC conference, highlighting the commitment of public sector organizations to leverage technology for investigative advancements.
Innovation Award
The Innovation Award was presented to the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS CI)’s New York Cyber Unit. This unit, established two years ago, has been at the forefront of investigating NFT rug pulls, NFT-approval phishing attacks, DeFi protocol exploits, and cryptocurrency mixing services used for money laundering. Their efforts have led to several groundbreaking indictments, showcasing their technical expertise and leadership.
Case of the Year
The FBI was awarded the Case of the Year for its investigation into Michael Pratt, the alleged owner of the GirlsDoPorn commercial sex trafficking ring. Pratt, listed in the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted in 2022, is charged with sex trafficking crimes. Chainalysis’s Investigations and Special Programs team supported the FBI during this investigation.
Cross-Border Collaboration
The Cross Border Collaboration Award went to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Ottawa and Nova Scotia RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime (FSOC). Their joint effort, known as Operation Hackstone, targeted a darknet opioid vendor who used cryptocurrency for transactions. The operation successfully located and seized crypto-wallets associated with the accused, disrupting significant drug trafficking activities.
Bridge Builder of the Year
Erin West, Deputy District Attorney of Santa Clara County DA, received the Bridge Builder of the Year award. West founded the “Crypto Coalition,” a group of over 800 law enforcement members dedicated to combating cryptocurrency-related crimes. Her initiative, Operation Shamrock, has been instrumental in recovering millions of dollars in stolen crypto.
These awards underscore the importance of innovation, collaboration, and dedication in the public sector’s efforts to harness technology for public safety. Chainalysis looks forward to future collaborations and continuing to recognize exemplary contributions in upcoming awards programs.
For more information, visit the official Chainalysis blog.