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Nancy Guthrie Disappearance: Former FBI Agent Weighs in on Tracking Ransom Money
Former FBI agent Kyle Armstrong says blockchain's public ledger and transaction tracking tools could help law enforcement trace ransom payments in Bitcoin.
- Kyle Armstrong, former FBI agent now at TRM Labs, said blockchain tracing could be critical to the Nancy Guthrie investigation.
- Reports show two ransom notes demanded Bitcoin with activity in a linked account on Tuesday, February 10, and a second email claiming information arrived on February 12.
- TRM Labs can graph Bitcoin transactions and flag addresses, so when funds hit cryptocurrency exchanges, they can be identified and frozen, Armstrong explained.
- Armstrong warned, `If a ransom is paid, I'm certain that there will be several investigators`, while Arizona authorities seek any video that could lead to Nancy Guthrie after Savannah Guthrie posted one Saturday; KGUN and TMZ forwarded ransom notes to the FBI.
- Because crypto can't be spent widely, perpetrators typically cash out via gift cards or exchanges, forcing conversion into spendable forms with spending records; a 2016 New York case shows investigative precedent, Armstrong said.
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Imposter who allegedly made ransom demands from Guthrie family goes to court
The California man arrested on suspicion of making a demand for ransom in the Nancy Guthrie case made an initial appearance Thursday in federal court.According to a news release 42-year-old Derrick Callella of Hawthorne, Calif., is charged with transmitting a demand for ransom in interstate commerce and without disclosing his identity, utilizing a telecommunications device with intent to abuse, threaten or harass a person.Callella is alleged to …
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Total News Sources30
Leaning Left0Leaning Right2Center26Last UpdatedBias Distribution93% Center
Bias Distribution
- 93% of the sources are Center
93% Center
C 93%
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