Congress Seeks to Boost Fight Against Crypto Theft with New Task Force

US lawmakers have proposed the creation of a task force focused on cryptocurrency theft after the FBI received over $11 billion in reported losses during 2025. According to legislation introduced by Representatives Lance Gooden and Josh Gottheimer, the Federal Cryptocurrency Theft Enforcement and Coordination Act would establish a Federal Cryptocurrency Theft Task Force within the Department of Justice.

The task force, which would be placed under the Attorney General or a designated official, aims to prevent, investigate, and prosecute cryptocurrency theft and related crimes. It would bring together senior officials from various government agencies, including the DOJ, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and the Treasury Department.

The proposal follows the Justice Department's decision to dismantle its National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET) last year. NCET was created during the Biden administration and focused on prosecuting cases involving cryptocurrency misuse. The dissolution of the team led to criticism that the government was not doing enough to combat cryptocurrency-related crimes.

The Federal Cryptocurrency Theft Enforcement and Coordination Act would grant authority to the Attorney General to add other federal law enforcement agencies when necessary. It would also provide technical guidance, training programs, and information-sharing efforts to state and local authorities to help them address cases involving cross-border fund movements.