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In crypto „seizing” means getting access to the wallet and sending funds to the one that gov’t has under it’s sole control

• dheera 5y ago
  How do they get access to the wallet, assuming the dude won't tell them? With fiat they can do it with force, that's the difference. If the dude won't tell them they have no way to get access to it, other than the $5 wrench.
  • jimbob21 5y ago
    If the key is solely located only in the hacker's brain, yes it is out of their reach. Usually, however, if you gain access to the hacker's comp, they'll have it written down somewhere.
  • acdha 5y ago
    > If the dude won't tell them they have no way to get access to it, other than the $5 wrench. This assumes perfect opsec: the guy is unphishable, has a quick-response switch to wipe their computers when their house is raided, etc. They get a lot of people through simple gaps: bust the door down when the target is in the bathroom, grab the unlocked computer in a public setting, etc. The other big assumption is that the only copy of the key belonged to someone in the gang who is a high-value target. If it’s an exchange, they need to make an official request. Someone offering laundering services or a lower-value person in the gang, the offer is likely going to be offered a plea bargain for cooperating to get bigger fish versus a much longer sentence. Even if it is the most culpable member of the gang, the prospect of a very long prison sentence versus something shorter is going to weigh heavily — especially if you know that they’re just going to leave you in jail until you give them the key anyway.