A bipartisan U.S. House bill from Reps. Lance Gooden (R) and Josh Gottheimer (D) proposes a federal task force to combat cryptocurrency theft, which cost Americans over $11 billion in 2025. Led by the Attorney General, the multi-agency group would coordinate investigations and provide a single point of contact for victims, addressing what sponsors call a fragmented federal response to a growing problem.
Federal cryptocurrency task force legislation
- ▪The bill is sponsored by Republican Rep. Lance Gooden of the House Judiciary Committee and Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer of the House Financial Services Committee
- ▪The bill's path to passage is uncertain, as it needs to pass through a House committee or be attached to a larger legislative package
- ▪A bipartisan bill, the Federal Cryptocurrency Theft Enforcement and Coordination Act, has been introduced in the U.S. House to create a federal task force for crypto theft
U.S. cryptocurrency fraud losses
- ▪According to the FBI's 2025 Internet Crime Report, Americans lost over $11.3 billion to cryptocurrency fraud across 181,565 complaints
- ▪Investment scams accounted for $7.2 billion of the crypto losses in 2025
- ▪People over 60 lost $4.43 billion to crypto scams in 2025 across 44,555 complaints, more than any other age group
Task force operational structure
- ▪The task force would coordinate investigations and create a standard playbook for local police on handling crypto theft
- ▪The proposed task force would be led by the U.S. Attorney General and involve the DOJ, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and Treasury Department
Victim reporting mechanisms
- ▪The FBI's "Operation Level Up" initiative has saved victims over $500 million since 2024, including $225.8 million in 2025
- ▪The bill aims to provide a single federal point of contact for victims of crypto theft, who sponsors argue currently have "nowhere to turn."
Prior federal crypto enforcement efforts
- ▪The Joint Ransomware Task Force was established in 2021 to coordinate federal responses to ransomware attacks, which often involve crypto payments
- ▪The Treasury Department's Scam Center Strike Force, set up in 2025, has seized over $700 million in crypto from overseas scams
- ▪The Department of Justice's National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team was disbanded in 2025 under the Trump administration
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