Japanese authorities trace Monero, arrest 18 in $670K laundering case

As a seasoned analyst with over two decades of experience in the financial industry, I must say that this development is a significant milestone in the ongoing battle against cybercrime. The Japanese authorities’ ability to trace and apprehend a gang using Monero transactions marks a new era in digital forensics.


For the very first time, a group of 18 cryptocurrency scammers were apprehended by Japanese officials, thanks to an investigation into Monero transaction data.

Japanese officials scrutinized around 900 suspicious transactions involving Monero (XMR), linked to a group of fraudsters, whose illegal activities resulted in an estimated loss of about 100 million yen or approximately $670,000.

For the very first time, Japanese law enforcement agencies have employed Monero transaction tracking to pinpoint a gang of offenders, as reported by the media outlet Nikkei.

The group accused of being criminals, along with their alleged head, Yuta Kobayashi, have been taken into custody on charges of laundering money using the confidential digital currency Monero (XMR), as well as committing fraud through computers.

Japanese authorities trace Monero, arrest 18 in $670K laundering case

18-member group has been subject to an ongoing probe since August, following the establishment of the National Police Agency’s Cyber Special Investigation Team in April, a unit created specifically to combat the rising incidence of cybercrimes across the nation.

This is a developing story, and further information will be added as it becomes available.

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2024-10-21 14:43