Bipartisan bill would create DOJ-led group for crypto theft cases

A bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. House would establish a Federal Cryptocurrency Theft Task Force led by the attorney general to coordinate crypto fraud and hacking investigations across the Department of Justice, FBI, Department of Homeland Security and Treasury. The measure, introduced by Republican Rep. Lance Gooden and Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer, is designed to give victims a clearer place to report losses and to create a standard playbook for local police handling crypto theft cases. The push comes as U.S. crypto-related losses remain high. The FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report logged 181,565 complaints involving cryptocurrency and more than $11.3 billion in losses, with investment scams accounting for $7.2 billion. People over 60 filed 44,555 complaints and lost $4.43 billion, more than any other age group. The FBI said Operation Level Up, launched in 2024 to warn victims while scams are still underway, has saved more than $500 million since inception, including $225.8 million in 2025, when 3,780 victims were recorded. The bill would arrive after the Trump administration disbanded the Department of Justice’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team in 2025, arguing the prior unit had focused on regulating crypto through lawsuits rather than catching criminals. Supporters of the new proposal say a dedicated cross-agency structure could help address what they describe as a fragmented federal enforcement landscape. The bill still must clear committees or be attached to a broader legislative package before it can become law.