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Beyond Silk Road: Potential Risks, Threats, and Promises of Virtual Currencies

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Beyond Silk Road: Potential Risks, Threats, and Promises of Virtual Currencies S. Hrg. 113–516 BEYOND SILK ROAD: POTENTIAL RISKS, THREATS, AND PROMISES OF VIRTUAL CURRENCIES HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION NOVEMBER 18, 2013 Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.fdsys.gov/ Printed for the use of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs ( U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 86–636 PDF WASHINGTON : 2014 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402–0001 COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware Chairman CARL LEVIN, Michigan TOM COBURN, Oklahoma MARK L. PRYOR, Arkansas JOHN MCCAIN, Arizona MARY L. LANDRIEU, Louisiana RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin CLAIRE MCCASKILL, Missouri ROB PORTMAN, Ohio JON TESTER, Montana RAND PAUL, Kentucky MARK BEGICH, Alaska MICHAEL B. ENZI, Wyoming TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin KELLY AYOTTE, New Hampshire HEIDI HEITKAMP, North Dakota RICHARD J. KESSLER, Staff Director JOHN P. KILVINGTON, Deputy Staff Director JOHN G. COLLINS, Professional Staff Member MICHELLE C. TAYLOR, Federal Bureau of Investigations Detailee KEITH B. ASHDOWN, Minority Staff Director CHRISTOPHER J. BARKLEY, Minority Deputy Staff Director WILLIAM H.W. MCKENNA, Minority Investigative Counsel LAURA W. KILBRIDE, Chief Clerk LAUREN M. CORCORAN, Hearing Clerk (II) C O N T E N T S Opening statements: Page Senator Carper ................................................................................................. 1 Prepared statements: Senator Carper ................................................................................................. 45 WITNESSES MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2013 Jennifer Shasky Calvery, Director, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, U.S. Department of the Treasury ....................................................................... 4 Mythili Raman, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice ......................................................................................... 7 Edward W. Lowery, III, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Investigative Division, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Department of Homeland Security .......... 9 Ernie Allen, President and Chief Executive Officer, The International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children .................................................................... 27 Patrick Murck, General Counsel, The Bitcoin Foundation, Inc. .......................... 29 Jeremy Allaire, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Circle Internet Finan- cial, Inc. ................................................................................................................. 31 Jerry Brito, Senior Research Fellow, The Mercatus Center, George Mason University ............................................................................................................. 33 ALPHABETICAL LIST OF WITNESSES Allaire, Jeremy: Testimony .......................................................................................................... 31 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 114 Allen, Ernie: Testimony .......................................................................................................... 27 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 78 Brito, Jerry: Testimony .......................................................................................................... 33 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 120 Lowery, Edward W., III: Testimony .......................................................................................................... 9 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 71 Murck, Patrick: Testimony .......................................................................................................... 29 Prepared statement with attachment ............................................................. 90 Raman, Mythili: Testimony .......................................................................................................... 7 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 63 Shasky Calvery, Jennifer: Testimony .......................................................................................................... 4 Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 48 APPENDIX Statement submitted for the Record by U.S. Immigration and Customs En- forcement .............................................................................................................. 146 Statement submitted for the Record by Sarah Meiklejohn, Ph.D. Candidate, University of California, San Diego .................................................................... 156 Responses to post-hearing questions for the Record: Ms. Shasky Calvery .......................................................................................... 160 Ms. Raman ........................................................................................................ 165 (III) IV Page Responses to post-hearing questions for the Record—Continued Mr. Lowery ........................................................................................................ 171 Mr. Allen ........................................................................................................... 176 Mr. Murck ......................................................................................................... 184 Mr. Allaire ......................................................................................................... 191 Mr. Brito ............................................................................................................ 195 BEYOND SILK ROAD: POTENTIAL RISKS, THREATS, AND PROMISES OF VIRTUAL CURRENCIES MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2013 COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, Washington, DC. The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 3:02 p.m., in room SD–342, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Thomas R. Carper, Chairman of the Committee, presiding. Present: Senator Carper. OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN CARPER Chairman CARPER. Well, good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us. We especially want to thank our witnesses, panel num- ber one and, somewhere out in the audience, panel number two. Mr. Lowery just lost his name plate there. Somebody just go around and pick it up please and put it where it belongs. That way we will know who you are. Senator Bill Roth, whom I succeeded here in the U.S. Senate, used to say, many years ago—his advice was, ‘‘Wear a big button when you are campaigning so that you will remember your name and so will other people.’’ So we want to make sure people remem- ber your name. Over the past several months, this Committee has engaged in an investigation into the potential implications of virtual currencies. During the course of this inquiry, we have examined the issues and potential risks and threats that virtual currencies pose, as well as some of the potential promises that some believe they can bring. In addition, we have explored with several departments and agencies throughout our Federal Government how they are ap- proaching virtual currencies as an emerging technology. This has included looking at how they are coordinating together to develop a ‘‘whole of government’’ approach that is consistent and informed. Virtual currencies, perhaps most notably Bitcoin, have captured the imagination of some, struck fear among others, and confused the heck out of the rest of us, including me. Indeed, based on con- versations that my staff and I have had with dozens—maybe more—of individuals both inside and outside of government, it is clear that the knowledge and expectation gaps are wide. Funda- mental questions remain about what a virtual currency actually is, how it should be treated, and what the future holds. (1) 2 Virtual currency can best be described as digital cash. It is gen- erated by computers, lives on the Internet, and can be used to pur- chase real and digital goods across the world. Some proponents believe that digital currencies can prove valu- able to those in developing countries without access to stable finan- cial systems. Others believe it could prove to be a next generation payment system for retailers both online and in the real world. At the same time, however, virtual currencies can be an effective tool for those looking to launder money, for those looking to traffic illegal drugs, for those looking to exploit children around the world, and the list goes on. While virtual currencies have seen increased attention from reg- ulators, law enforcement, investors, and entrepreneurs in recent months, there are still many unanswered questions and unresolved issues. This is not the first time that advances in technology have posed challenging questions, challenging issues for policymakers and for society as a whole. As we know, technology is dynamic and changes quickly. Concepts like e-mail and even the Internet itself were once alien and difficult to understand and navigate. Now, most of us can read and respond to e-mail on a device
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