US Lawmakers Propose Federal Task Force to Lead Crypto Theft Cases

• A bipartisan House bill proposes a Federal Cryptocurrency Theft Task Force.
• The group would coordinate investigations into crypto fraud, scams, and hacking.
• The bill comes as lawmakers cite billions in annual losses from digital asset theft.

A bipartisan pair of U.S. lawmakers has introduced a bill to create a federal task force focused on cryptocurrency theft, giving Washington a single coordination point for cases involving stolen digital assets.

The proposal would place the Federal Cryptocurrency Theft Task Force under the U.S. Attorney General. It would bring together agencies, including the Department of Justice, the FBI, the Treasury Department, and the Department of Homeland Security, to help prevent, investigate, and respond to crypto theft cases.

Lawmakers Seek Unified Crypto Response

The bill is sponsored by Representative Lance Gooden, a Texas Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, and Representative Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee.

Gooden said crypto criminals are stealing billions from Americans while Washington lacks a coordinated strategy to stop them. He said the legislation aims to protect consumers, pursue thieves, and support trust in the digital asset market.

Gottheimer pointed to the scale of losses from crypto theft and scams, saying victims often lack a clear place to seek help. The proposed task force would give victims and investigators one federal point of contact.

Notably, crypto crime cases often involve several layers of enforcement. Local police, federal agencies, foreign exchanges, blockchain analytics firms, and prosecutors may all play separate roles. The bill attempts to reduce that fragmentation by placing coordination inside the Justice Department.

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Fraud and Hacks Drive the Push

The proposed task force would cover criminal activity ranging from fraud to hacking. That includes scams such as pig butchering, where organized groups build trust with victims before convincing them to send crypto to fraudulent platforms.

State-linked hacking is another concern. Digital assets have long attracted cybercriminals due to fast settlement, cross-border movement, and the difficulty of recovering funds once they leave a victim’s wallet.

However, the bill does not create a new market regulator. Instead, it focuses on theft, tracing illicit transactions, supporting victims, and helping law enforcement agencies work together.

Dannis Porter, co-founder and CEO of the Satoshi Action Fund, said placing the task force at the Justice Department would give victims, investigators, and local authorities a more unified federal response while keeping participation voluntary.

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Bill Faces Uncertain Path

The proposal arrives after the Justice Department shut down its National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team under the Trump administration. Officials at the time argued that the previous approach had blurred enforcement with broader crypto regulation.

Even so, federal agencies have already used similar models for related crimes. The Joint Ransomware Task Force was created in 2021 to coordinate responses across agencies, as ransomware cases often involve crypto payments.

Additionally, the Treasury Department’s Scam Center Strike Force has worked with law enforcement on overseas fraud operations. That group has reported seizures of more than $700 million in crypto tied to scam networks.

The new bill still faces an uncertain path in Congress. It would need committee support or a place inside a broader legislative package before reaching a final vote.

The Digital Chamber said law enforcement agencies need better tools, training, and coordination to investigate theft, trace illicit activity, assist victims, and pursue bad actors. The proposed task force now places that issue directly before House lawmakers.