Two bipartisan US Senators have written a joint letter to federal agencies addressing the potential use of crypto assets in child abuse cases. In a press release, Senator Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts and Senator Bill Cassidy from Louisiana highlighted their concerns about the role of digital assets as the “payment of choice” for explicit materials involving children. The letter was sent to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), where the Senators expressed their worries about the anonymity provided by crypto assets and their illegal use in such activities. The aim of the letter is to gather information about the necessary tools required by the DOJ and DHS to combat this illicit trade and bring the perpetrators to justice. To support their argument, the Senators referred to data from The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), and market intelligence platform Chainalysis. These sources revealed a rise in the use of crypto assets for purchasing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and an increase in the number of websites accepting crypto assets as payment for such content. The Senators emphasized the urgency of taking action to end this illicit trade and punish those involved.
