It’s time to treat Bitcoin ransom as stolen goods

Author: William "Bud" Roth

Categories: Cyber beat, Sasakawa USA Blog

There has been a lot of legal debate about whether Bitcoin is a currency, a security, or a commodity. That judgement will ultimately determine whether Bitcoins used to pay ransom are treated as stolen money (fungible) or stolen goods (reclaimable). Law enforcement should treat Bitcoin as a commodity and, in doing so, the victims of ransomware who pay would have recourse against all future owners of the ransomed Bitcoins to reclaim them.

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