A significant development has emerged in the search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, with federal authorities now reportedly in possession of photographs and names of individuals they believe could be linked to the case.
According to a report by CBS News, investigators have obtained images and identifying details of people who may match the individual captured on surveillance footage outside Nancy Guthrie’s front door. The footage allegedly shows a person standing near the entrance with what appears to be a firearm holstered at their side.
Crypto Crime:
Nancy Guthrie disappearance highlights cryptocurrency’s role in criminal activity
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The high-profile disappearance of Nancy Guthrie has brought new attention to the world of cryptocurrency, with multiple ransom notes sent to media outlets demanding payment in Bitcoin in exchange for Nancy Guthrie or her whereabouts.
What is cryptocurrency?
Cryptocurrency is digital money that only exists online. It operates on a network or blockchain rather than being controlled by a bank. It allows person-to-person transactions and uses a public ledger to record transactions. Crypto is most frequently used for online payments or investments.
Arizona’s Family
Why crypto is the currency of choice for criminals
The high profile disappearance of Nancy Guthrie has brought new
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Crypto expert Robert Hockensmith said every transaction is tracked and verified.
“Any time you buy it, any time you sell it, any time you use it to buy a product or service, any time you connect it or take it to another place, it is identified as you touching it. That’s how it works,” said Hockensmith, who works with AZ Money Guy.
Why criminals use cryptocurrency
Despite the tracking capabilities, criminals use crypto because it’s not that simple to trace. A cybersecurity expert said a lot of criminals have found creative ways to avoid being traced.
They’ll use multiple crypto wallets and addresses to obscure their identity. Funds can be transferred globally almost instantly, and if some IP addresses are hidden, they can be harder to locate. Once a transaction is confirmed, it’s extremely difficult to reverse.
“If you think about, for example, ID theft, cybercriminals might literally steal someone’s identity and that might include their access to something like Coinbase and then use that victim’s Coinbase to receive stolen funds and move it somewhere else, same way they used to do it with wire transfers,” said Eric Foster, cybersecurity and crypto expert and CEO of Tenex.AI.
Another crypto expert said criminals will keep moving their crypto over and over again, making it harder and harder to trace. He calls crypto the modern way of transporting large sums of money and said it has become the currency of choice for criminals.
Retired, living in the Scottish Borders after living most of my life in cities in England. I can now indulge my interest in all aspects of living close to nature in a wild landscape. I live on what was once the Iapetus Ocean which took millions of years to travel from the Southern Hemisphere to here in the Northern Hemisphere. That set me thinking and questioning and seeking answers.
In 1998 I co-wrote Millennium Countdown (US)/ A Business Guide to the Year 2000 (UK) see https://www.abebooks.co.uk/products/isbn/9780749427917
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