Due to a recent report on an illicit platform, Antinalysis, Crystal subsequently investigated the case and we discovered that Antinalysis is a service designed as a money-laundering fund checker for bad actors. Through comprehensive work by our investigative and analytics team, it’s known that this service began its activity in late July 2021, and the service has since been successfully blocked as a result of collaborative investigations with relevant law enforcement.
To understand more about this case, you can read from Brian Krebs’ security blog from August 13, 2021: “A new dark web service is marketing to cybercriminals who are curious to see how their various cryptocurrency holdings and transactions may be linked to known criminal activity.”
IMAGE: sourced from Brian Krebs’ security blog
To learn more about the current suspension of Antinalysis’s services you can read this tweet.
As the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry grows and expands, so does illicit activity and the work of bad actors. The vast and complex illicit activity ecosystem consists not only of exchange services but also supporting services. This particular service was overt in naming its services, but there are many services that are opaquely providing services supporting illicit activities.
It’s clear that bad actors work quickly to manipulate this industry and our job as safeguards is to work even quicker. Illicit activities using cryptocurrencies continues to increase, and actions by bad actors are becoming more and more inventive. Our work at Crystal is to continue to proactively tackle these cases and to work toward a better, safer blockchain future for all.
Get in touch with our Investigations Services team at [email protected].
