Blockchain Intelligence Group fights fraud in earthquake relief
The scale of the disaster in the wake of last week’s earthquake is almost impossible to describe. For 33,000 souls to disappear from the earth in a matter of minutes can only be conceptualized by imagining it as a metaphor – “it’s like eleven 9-11s” or “it’s like everyone disappears in a Yankees- playoff match”. In other words, there are no words.
In the modern world, where there is a disaster, it is money. Generous citizens from around the world have stepped up to donate to emergency relief, and it is especially necessary since the earthquake hit parts of the globe already traumatized by war and terrorism. It has been inspiring to watch – an anonymous donor from Pakistan walked into the Turkish embassy in the US and donated $30 million for earthquake relief.
Less inspiring is another modern truism. Where there is money there is fraud.
The Blockchain Intelligence Group has compiled a list of verified addresses for those hoping to ensure crypto donations can be tracked and reach their intended recipients.
Cryptocurrency can actually be a pretty effective way to help. After all, one of the fundamental rationales for crypto was the borderless transfer of value without regard to currency fluctuations or, at least in the Syrian part, a banking system that has been collapsing during a decade-long civil war. Predictably, however, bad actors have emerged in a particularly heartless attempt to insert themselves between generous donors and suffering recipients.
The Blockchain Intelligence Group, led by Director of Government and Strategic Affairs Bill Callahan, has assembled an investigative and Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) team to investigate authorized recipients and track the donations. They have documented all the addresses in QLUE, the law enforcement tool that allows financial investigators to sniff out and document evidence of crypto fraud.
Callahan told Modern Consensus, “Blockchain Intelligence Group believes in catching criminals and protecting crypto users. We work with banks, law enforcement and independent investigators to protect assets and investigate fraud using crypto.”
Callahan has a suitable pedigree for this task.
According to his resume, he spent 26 years in various roles at the U.S. Department of Justice, including two decades at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as special agent in charge of the St. Louis Division. “I held a number of positions, primarily centered on financial investigations of some of the largest narcotics and money laundering transnational criminal organizations, using trade-based money laundering, hawala, bulk cash smuggling and cryptocurrency to launder their ill-gotten gains.”
In other words, he has seen his fair share of financial tricks.
The list of charities are third parties, not affiliated with Blockchain Intelligence Group. Each has its own mission and financial goals. A few of them are listed here, but it is important to note that Blockchain Intelligence Group does not necessarily control these charities or give its stamp of approval to the charities’ missions. Rather, they ensure that the money reaches the intended recipient.
“The Investigative Team at the Blockchain Intelligence Group is our responsibility to the industry to compile a list of real charities,” Callahan told Modern Consensus. It will “help provide more funding to the citizens of Turkey and Syria who need it most.”
