House bill would create DOJ cryptocurrency theft task force

On June 11, Representatives Lance Gooden and Josh Gottheimer introduced the Federal Cryptocurrency Theft Enforcement and Coordination Act to create a Federal Cryptocurrency Theft Task Force within the Justice Department. The task force would report to the attorney general or a designee and focus on theft, hacks, scams and coercion linked to digital assets.

The bill names senior representatives from the Justice Department, the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, including Homeland Security Investigations, and the Treasury Department, including the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, as formal members. The attorney general may add other federal law enforcement agencies as needed.

The task force would develop best practices for collecting and analyzing seized digital evidence, tracing assets and engaging victims. It would provide technical assistance, training and guidance to state and local law enforcement and prosecutors, share information across federal, state, local, Tribal and territorial agencies, and coordinate with international partners on cross-border cases.

The bill text excludes market regulation from the task force’s remit and leaves federal regulatory authority, the criminal code and private rights of action unchanged.

The proposal follows an April 2025 Justice Department memo that disbanded the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team and directed prosecutors to focus on individual criminal misuse of digital assets rather than treating the industry itself as a target. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche described that policy as an end to “regulation by prosecution.”

Supporters contend a standing coordination body could standardize evidence handling, training and referral pathways and shorten the time between a victim report and action. Opponents note the bill does not specify appropriations, staffing levels, victim intake procedures or response deadlines and could leave the task force without operational capacity.

The FBI reported 181,565 cryptocurrency-related complaints and more than $11 billion in reported cryptocurrency losses in its 2025 Internet Crime Report, with total reported cyber-enabled losses near $21 billion.

The bill would require annual reports to Congress on the task force’s activities, emerging threats, coordination with state and local agencies and recommended fixes, and it would mandate outreach to state and local law enforcement. Participation by state, local, Tribal and territorial governments would be voluntary. The text does not set appropriations or staffing levels and does not recreate a dedicated enforcement team like the former NCET.