Seize & Desist

“This is the model of Italian Renaissance banking.”

In this episode of Seize & Desist, host Aidan Larkin sits down with renowned financial crime journalist Oliver Bullough, author of Moneyland (2019) and Butler to the World (2022), to discuss why global money laundering continues to be an uphill battle despite decades of international effort.

Aidan and Oliver explore the roots and evolution of money laundering, from the Medici's of Renaissance Italy to the offshore shell companies of the Caribbean and the digital currencies of the future.

They also...

In our final conversation of the year, our SVP of Client Relations, Joanna Summers, sits down with Stefan Cassella, a former federal prosecutor with more than three decades of experience in international asset forfeiture who has authored over 50 law review articles and played a pivotal role in shaping and advancing federal asset forfeiture laws in the US and abroad.

In this episode, Joanna and Stef explore the growing role of cryptocurrency in criminal investigations and asset forfeiture, highlighting its use in money laundering, investment fraud, and sanctions evasion. 

Together, t...

In this special episode of Seize & Desist, our host, Aidan Larkin, sits down with blockchain intelligence specialist, author and Asset Reality co-founder Nick Furneaux for a behind-the-scenes look at his second book, ‘There’s No Such Thing As Crypto Crime’, and the challenges of writing it over the last two years while balancing work, family, and building a house.

Nick shares his journey from leaving school at 16 with no qualifications to becoming one of the world’s foremost authorities in crypto investigations, having analyzed over $20 billion worth of crypto-related crime and trained thousands of investig...

“If the decision-makers keep deciding that digital assets are just this fringe thing, there’s going to be a missed opportunity”

In this episode of Seize & Desist, our host, Aidan Larkin, explores tax compliance and enforcement in cryptocurrency with Miles Fuller, the director of government solutions at Taxbit, former senior counsel with the IRS Office of Chief Counsel and former Special Assistant United States Attorney.

Miles shares his background in tax litigation with the IRS and provides insights into how Taxbit helps to trace criminal assets by combining on-chain and of...

“The bad guys are going to continue to find ways to hide money in plain sight.”

In this episode, Asset Reality’s US Compliance Officer David Tyree shares his experiences with asset seizures while working as a Resident Agent in Charge at the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

David explores the complexities of non-conviction-based forfeiture with our host Aidan Larkin, emphasising the importance of tracing the assets back to criminal activities and the influence of adverse media on law enforcement decisions.

They also delve into the gl...

“No one's taking action without a court order.”

In this special episode, we explore the complexities of cryptocurrency seizures with Joanna Summers, our SVP of Client Relations and resident seized asset specialist, after an extended introduction from David Tyree, our US Compliance Officer and former Resident Agent in Charge at the DEA.

Aidan and Joanna unpack the latest asset seizure headlines and discuss the nuances of dealing with seized assets, including the legal and operational challenges of maintaining their value for eventual disposal or return.

Th...

“It’s going to be pivotal for us to keep up with where criminals are going”

In this episode, Aidan and Kristen explore the future direction of cryptocurrency compliance.

Kristen shares her perspective on the international effectiveness of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the challenges of implementing the travel rule, and the significance of sanctions in asset recovery to combat financial crime. 

They also explore the role of stablecoins in the evolving financial landscape, the potential use of AI by criminals and the implica...

“Money laundering is often very boring…Crypto is new. It’s exciting. It’s different.”

This time on ‘Seize & Desist’, our host Aidan Larkin is joined by investigative journalist Geoff White, author of ‘The Lazarus Heist’, ‘Crime Dot Com’, and ‘Rinsed’.

In this episode, Aidan and Geoff explore the influence of modern technology on money laundering and its ties to transnational organised crime. They examine how criminals have exploited advancements in digital asset infrastructure to hide their illegal activities and emphasise the important role of investigative journalism in illuminating financial investigations i...

“The day will come that the world will begin to tokenise other real-world assets.”

In this episode, Aidan is joined by Gurvais Grigg, Chainalysis's Global Public Sector Chief Technology Officer and a former Assistant Director at the FBI. 

Together, they examine how blockchain analytics is transforming asset seizure practices by providing law enforcement with crucial new insights for financial investigations.

Gurvais offers his insights into the future of digital finance investigations and the influence of blockchain technology on various sectors. The conversation explores the signi...

“You have to fight AI with AI.”

In this episode, we're bringing you a special conversation with Matt O’Neil, co-founder and partner at 50H Consulting and former Deputy Special Agent in Charge of Cyber at the US Secret Service.

Matt shares his unique insights and experiences with our host, Aidan Larkin. Together, they delve into the challenges of asset recovery and forfeiture, especially those concerning cyber-enabled fraud. 

They discuss why the Secret Service investigates financial crimes, the importance of leveraging emerging technologies like AI to c...

“As long as you have these continued gaps in the global regulatory framework around crypto, it’s…too easy for criminals to launder funds.”

In this episode, recorded on April 30th, Aidan and David discuss everything from his early encounters with crypto and his journey into the space to the insights on the evolution of crypto crime shared in his book, ‘The Crypto Launderers’.

Together, they explore the different regulatory approaches to digital money laundering, shed light on why crypto transactions get so much attention from regulators and speculate on the excit...

“The speed at which this happens is faster than anything we’ve seen before.”

In this episode, Seize & Desist host Aidan Larkin is joined by Jarod Koopman, the Executive Director of Cyber and Forensic Services at IRS Criminal Investigations.

As the only federal law enforcement agency to focus completely on fighting financial crimes, IRS Criminal Investigations has seized more digital assets than any other agency in the world. Aidan and Jarod discuss the secret to IRS-CI’s status as a world leader in digital currency investigations, the reliability of blockcha...

“Crypto will be a piece in almost every investigation.”

In this episode, Ari and Aidan explore the pivotal role of blockchain analytics in crime prevention. 

They delve into why traceable technologies like the blockchain appeal to both criminals and law enforcement agencies, shedding light on how mixing services can facilitate money laundering and examining the evolution of digital currency investigations using real-world examples like the Bitfinex hack. 

Ari shares insights from his experiences in both the public and private sectors, including his first encounter with i...

“Crypto exposed every crack in an undereducated, underutilised system.”

In this episode, recorded on the 15th of February, Aidan and Amanda delve into the world of digital asset recovery, exploring the complexities of civil forfeiture and the use of cryptocurrency to finance terrorism.

Drawing from her extensive background in policy, enforcement and legal affairs, Amanda offers valuable insights into how these experiences have shaped her perspective on cryptocurrency and the future of decentralisation.

Their conversation also touches on why the significance of initiatives like the...

“This is a massive romance investment scam that is bleeding the world of its money.”

On the 27th of February 2024, Asset Reality’s co-founder and CEO Aidan Larkin had the opportunity to sit down with Erin West to explore the real-world consequences of cyber-enabled crimes like pig butchering.

In this eye-opening conversation, Erin exposes the industrial scale of pig butchering sweatshops, revealing how even the 'scammers' themselves are often victims of trafficking.

Erin and Aidan discuss why a unified global response and drastic policy reform...

“The fact that criminals now, a decade and a half into this ecosystem existing, can still successfully launder on a public ledger is kind of horrifying”

In this sequel episode of "Seize & Desist," Aidan Larkin is back with cybersecurity expert Carole House to continue their discussion on the challenges and potential solutions surrounding illicit finance in the crypto sector. 

They delve into the decentralized nature of crypto, address the persistent underestimation of cyber threats posed by state-sponsored actors such as North Korea and examine the challenges inherent in our exist...

“Blockchain analytics firms only capture a floor of illicit activity, not the ceiling”

In this insightful episode of "Seize & Desist," Aidan Larkin hosts cybersecurity expert Carole House for a rich discussion on the complexities of digital assets, cryptocurrency, and the pressing issue of ransomware. As a veteran in the field, Carole shares her unique perspective on the growth of crypto-related crime and the importance of debunking myths surrounding illicit finance statistics.

Carole and Aidan navigate through the thorny subject of quantifying illicit activities within the blockchain, how misinformation about thes...

“If it doesn't bang or bleed, no one's doing anything about it.”

In this episode of "Seize & Desist", Aidan Larkin sits down with David Lewis, Managing Director and Global Head of AML Advisory at Kroll, former Executive Secretary of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and leading figure in the battle against global financial crimes. 

They address the notorious 1% statistic, the challenges of cross-sector collaboration and explore how seized asset recovery efforts can be improved within FATF guidelines, delving into the need for effective communication, the appointment of accountable figur...

In this inaugural episode of "Seize & Desist" host Aidan Larkin (Co-Founder & CEO of Asset Reality) presents a compelling perspective on the challenges and significance of asset recovery. 

This field might fly under the radar of mainstream discussions, yet it has an enormous impact on societal funding for essential services like healthcare, education, and infrastructure. With less than 1% of the estimated trillions in illicit financial flows being recovered around the world, there is a pressing need to examine why such a crucial sector is failing and what can be done to enhance its effectiveness.