Odaily Planet News: On January 28, six U.S. senators, including Mazie K. Hirono, Elizabeth Warren, and Richard Durbin, wrote a letter to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, questioning his decision to disband the Department of Justice's National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET) in April 2025. The senators pointed out that Todd Blanche still held cryptocurrency valued between $158,000 and $470,000 at the time he made the decision, which may constitute a conflict of interest and potentially violate federal laws regarding personal financial interests influencing official decisions.
The letter stated that shutting down the enforcement unit was considered a "serious mistake," potentially facilitating criminal activities such as sanctions evasion, drug trafficking, and fraud. Citing data, the senators noted that illegal cryptocurrency activities increased by 162% in 2025, primarily driven by inflows of funds from sanctioned entities and money laundering networks. Currently, Todd Blanche has been listed as a subject of a complaint filed with the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Justice.