$15 Billion crypto seizures, SouthEast Asia scam compounds with thousands of victims and the life savings of hard working professionals being wiped out by transnational criminal organizations. In this episode, Andrew Fierman (Head of National Security Intelligence, Chainalysis ) and Erin West (Founder, Operation Shamrock ), don’t hold back in sharing the nuances of pig butchering, national security and everything to do with crypto sanctions and victim support. Erin describes the comprehensive scam strategies and shares her perspective as she travels the world and investigates steps away from some of the biggest scam compounds the industry has ever seen. Andrew emphasizes the enormous scale of financial operations linked to illicit activities, evidenced by the staggering figures tied to entities like Huione and Prince Group and the importance of cross-sector collaboration and proactive regulatory measures in mitigating these threats. Through real-life anecdotes and expert analysis, the episode provides listeners with a deeper understanding of the complexities and ongoing efforts to combat transnational organized scam networks. Minute-by-minute episode breakdown 2 | Introduction: Crypto Natsec and Pig Butchering 4 | Erin's Background in High Tech Crime 8 | Understanding Pig Butchering Scams 15 | Global Collaboration Against Organized Crime 18 | Gift Cards as a Money Laundering Tool 22 | Southeast Asia Scam Compounds 27 | Chen Zhi and Prince Group’s Sanction Analysis 30 | Practical Advice on How Anyone Can Combat Pig Butchering 33 | Closing Thoughts and Resources Related resources Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key. Website: Operation Shamrock: Educate. Mobilize. Disrupt: Stopping Scams Together Podcast: Stolen: A Podcast with Erin West Article: The Pig Butchering Lifecycle: Organized criminals use a highly scripted process and human trafficking to get as much money as they can from individual victims. Article: How scammers use crypto ATMs to launder millions from victims Blog: DOJ Seizes $15 Billion in Bitcoin as U.S. and U.K. Target Massive Southeast Asian Crypto Scam Network Blog: Five Key Takeaways from MSMT’s Report on North Korean Cyber Operations YouTube: Chainalysis YouTube page Twitter: Chainalysis Twitter: Building trust in blockchain Speakers on today’s episode Andrew Fierman (Head of National Security Intelligence, Chainalysis ) Erin West (Founder, Operation Shamrock ) This website may contain links to third-party sites that are not under the control of Chainalysis, Inc. or its affiliates (collectively “Chainalysis”). Access to such information does not imply association with, endorsement of, approval of, or recommendation by Chainalysis of the site or its operators, and Chainalysis is not responsible for the products, services, or other content hosted therein. Our podcasts are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, or investment advice. Listeners should consult their own advisors before making these types of decisions. Chainalysis has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material. Chainalysis does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material. Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Chainalysis. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Chainalysis employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company.
