The Crypto Launderers: Crime and Cryptocurrencies from the Dark Web to DeFi and Beyond

by David Carlisle

Re-discover the crypto underground In The Crypto Crime and Cryptocurrencies from the Dark Web to DeFi and Beyond, renowned anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing expert David Carlisle delivers a fascinating breakdown of the impact of crime on the world of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Tracking the history and evolution of crypto crime from the rise of the Dark Web to the present day, Carlisle recounts how an increasingly complex money laundering ecosystem has taken root in the crypto space. He describes in vivid detail how North Korean cyber thieves, Russian hackers, narcotics traffickers, and other illicit actors have moved billions of dollars’ worth of cryptocurrencies through the blockchain, exploiting new technological innovations to profit from their crimes. In response, regulators, private industry, and law enforcement have begun fighting back against bad actors abusing cryptocurrencies – scoring critical victories along the way, but also igniting important and sometimes fierce debates about the future of innovation, finance, and the law. The author An engrossing and comprehensive analysis of the intersection of crime, technology, and finance, The Crypto Launderers will prove impossible to put down for readers with an interest in law, finance, tech, and the blockchain – as well as for anyone with even a passing interest in cryptocurrencies.

288 pages, Hardcover

Published December 26, 2023

Reviews

[Goodi]

The fact that the author spends less than a paragraph on monero is more interesting than anything else in the book.

[Dr. Phoenix · Rating 5 out of 5]

This title took me a little over two weeks to read. The reason was not that it was especially difficult. I was caught up finishing a new chapter for an academic title with IGI scientific publications on the related topic of cryptocrime and financial Fraud. This was coupled with successfully interviewing for a new position as a professor of law with a University in India, a post I will assume in mid-May. so inevitably real-life (RL) slowed down the reading potential.

So what have we got? A well documented and researched study on cryptocriminality and the methods employed by malicious actors to divert and launder their ill-gotten gains. Having myself been the victim of a pig-butchering scheme, I thoroughly enjoyed reading how these criminals get tracked down and brought to justice. The book is informative and at the same time an enjoyable read. I am reading this currently alongside the title "There's No Such Thing as Crypto Crime" by Nick Furneaux..

The Furneaux title is much more complex and geared chiefly at crypto investigators . It will test your mettle. If you are looking for a nice and engaging introduction, I highly recommend the current title being reviewed, or the Greenberg title "The Lords of Crypto Crime."

The current title covers many of the tactics and methodologies employed by cyber criminals, and does so in an engaging manner. Is it perfect? No, it has its warts, some of them quite annoying, and we will consider those presently.

While I don't like attacking an author, I also don't enjoy being pressured to. Carlsile comes off as a Starcucks fan and a latte sipping soyboy and beta male. He refuses to acknowledge that men exist and have a place in the universe. Thus, every instance where a third person pronoun is required, it is inevitable that it is feminine. This ludicrous artifice does not escape the reader's attention and becomes increasingly annoying over time, particularly in instances where a more neutral filler, or no pronoun at all, would have been more logical or fitting. Don't get me wrong—I am not a misogynist or incel, but I do believe in the existence of a species of creature known as men continue to inhabit out ecosphere.

Okay, now with that out of the way, there is continuous, heavy commercial pushing of the firm he works for (Elliptic). This practice is equally present in many of the other similar texts, written by those in similar positions, who fail to recognize the achievements of their competitors. It all seems like a bit of obligatory bootlicking in the end.

These observations are my own personal point of view, and these little annoyances may not impact you in the slightest. Sort of like when Grammarly tells me to use terms or turns of phrase that I did not solicit—you sometimes have to put AI in its place!

There is an entire section dedicated to NFTs and another to the Metaverse. Perhaps it is because of my generation-linked age that I find both frivolous and unsavory. In an era where people can no longer purchase a real home, take their children on vacation, put them through school, or even have difficulty putting food on the table, I see the millions if not billions spent on objects that can neither be touched nor put to practical use as reprehensible extravagance. It is worth noting that those who own NFT collections are often Hollywierd celebrities such as Madonna, Snoop Dogg and Eminem. No accounting for taste I guess.

Summary: The book is interesting and well worth the time invested reading it. It provided necessary insight and I learned new information, that I did not know previously. Despite my personal gripes, I decided to give it the full rating given the content.

Recommended to my friends.

[Dali Bali · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Crypto Launderers is a compact book providing a good overview of the use of crypto in crime. Although the book is very short, I see the real value in Carlisle's academic approach to citing sources, which, if you're interested, will pull you further down this incredible rabbit hole.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent primer on crime in the crypto ecosystem.