U.S. House bill proposes federal task force to combat cryptocurrency theft and fraud

Jun 11, 2026

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.