The DOJ created NCET in 2021. Officials were concerned about the soaring turnover of criminally mined cryptoassets, which the ministry believes are being used by terrorists to move and launder funds.
A senior DOJ official, Nicole Argentieri, said NCET will merge with the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Investigations Section (CCIPS). After joining CCIPS the group will continue to investigate crimes where cryptoassets are involved.
Merging with a larger entity will provide NCET with additional resources. The number of specialists in criminal cases involving cryptocurrencies will double. NCET can bring in lawyers from CCIPS if needed, as well as access to information from the department on digital crime.
The main task of the revamped unit will be to combat ransomware used to steal cryptoassets. According to Argentieri, ransomware viruses pose a threat to both national and public safety and U.S. economic prosperity. Therefore, NCET will focus on tracking cryptocurrency payments made by criminals and then freezing their assets.
Last fall, the U.S. Justice Department created a separate group to oversee cryptocurrency law enforcement, which also assists law enforcement in cryptocrime investigations.