Senators re-up bill to expand Secret Service\u2019s financial cybercrime authorities | CyberScoop<\/title> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/secret-service-financial-cybercrimes-senate-bill\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Senators re-up bill to expand Secret Service\u2019s financial cybercrime authorities\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The bipartisan legislation would strengthen the agency\u2019s authorities to investigate criminal activity tied to digital assets.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/secret-service-financial-cybercrimes-senate-bill\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cyberscoop\/\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-04-04T19:01:02+00:00\"> <meta 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stickybar--newsletter js-stickybar\" readability=\"0.82\"> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"25.523450586265\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"34.039603960396\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/secret-service-financial-cybercrimes-senate-bill\/\"> <span>Cybercrime<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> The bipartisan legislation would strengthen the agency\u2019s authorities to investigate criminal activity tied to digital assets. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/84096\/english.openai.mp3\"><\/audio> <\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<div>\n<p>Listen to this article<\/p>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p>0:00<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p> <span id=\"tts-tooltip\">Learn more.<\/span> <span> This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment. <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/senators-re-up-bill-to-expand-secret-services-financial-cybercrime-authorities.jpg?resize=640%2C427&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/senators-re-up-bill-to-expand-secret-services-financial-cybercrime-authorities-2.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/senators-re-up-bill-to-expand-secret-services-financial-cybercrime-authorities-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/senators-re-up-bill-to-expand-secret-services-financial-cybercrime-authorities-2.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/senators-re-up-bill-to-expand-secret-services-financial-cybercrime-authorities-2.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/senators-re-up-bill-to-expand-secret-services-financial-cybercrime-authorities-2.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/senators-re-up-bill-to-expand-secret-services-financial-cybercrime-authorities-2.jpg?resize=505,337 505w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/senators-re-up-bill-to-expand-secret-services-financial-cybercrime-authorities-2.jpg?resize=1012,675 1012w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1012px) 100vw, 1012px\"><figcaption> Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., speaks during a hearing with the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Capitol Hill on June 12, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker\/Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"33.560021875855\"><body readability=\"67.335477645545\"><\/p>\n<p>A bipartisan pair of senators is taking another shot at their bill to expand the U.S. Secret Service\u2019s investigative powers for financial cybercrime probes.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/119th-congress\/senate-bill\/1273?s=1&r=5\">Combatting Money Laundering in Cyber Crime Act<\/a> from Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, would update federal law to strengthen the Secret Service\u2019s authority, enabling the agency to look into criminal activity tied to digital assets.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDangerous criminals are constantly changing their tactics and using new technology to avoid detection,\u201d Cortez Masto <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cortezmasto.senate.gov\/news\/press-releases\/cortez-masto-grassley-reintroduce-bipartisan-bill-to-strengthen-secret-services-ability-to-combat-cyber-money-laundering\/\">said in a statement<\/a>. \u201cOur law enforcement agencies need to adapt to keep communities safe. I will continue to fight to pass this bipartisan legislation that would help the Secret Service more effectively combat cybercrime.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Under current law, the Secret Service is empowered to investigate cybercrimes that threaten national security, but those that are conducted via unlicensed money transmitting businesses fall outside the agency\u2019s purview.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The legislation from Cortez Masto and Grassley, both members of the Senate Finance Committee, addresses that gap by allowing Secret Service members to probe digital asset transactions tied to transnational cyber criminal activity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs money laundering schemes continue to evolve, so must our capacity to combat them,\u201d Grassley said in a statement. \u201cBy enhancing Secret Service\u2019s authority to investigate criminal digital assets, our bill significantly improves law enforcement\u2019s ability to effectively anticipate, identify and prevent cybercrime.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Cortez Masto and Grassley first <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/secret-service-financial-cybercrime-investigations-senate-bill\/\">introduced this bill last July<\/a>, but the legislation <a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/118th-congress\/senate-bill\/4830\/committees\">didn\u2019t make it out of committee<\/a>. The Nevada Democrat told CyberScoop at the time that \u201cthe funding of criminal activity through digital assets poses a direct threat to the security and safety of our nation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Secret Service\u2019s history with combatting cybercrime dates back to 2004 and the launch of its internal Cyber Investigative Section, one of the U.S. government\u2019s first units dedicated to cybercrime. <\/p>\n<p>Five years ago, the agency <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/secret-service-reorganization-task-force-cybercrime-financial-crime\/\">created its Cyber Fraud Task Forces<\/a>. Since then, there\u2019s been a steady drumbeat from current and former federal cyber officials calling for the Secret Service, FBI and Treasury Department to invest in the <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/ex-white-house-kemba-walden-ransomware-payment-ban\/\">hiring of agents with cyber skills<\/a> to pursue financial investigations.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>In January 2024, the Secret Service <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/secret-service-cyber-investigations-advisory-board\/\">said it would relaunch<\/a> its Cyber Investigations Advisory Board, a 16-member body tasked with overhauling financial cybercrime investigative practices at the agency.<\/p>\n<p>The Department of Justice and Treasury Department have warned in recent years about the increasing frequency with which digital assets are being used in ransomware attacks, fraud schemes, money laundering and other crimes. <\/p>\n<p>Cortez Masto has had a particular focus on cybercrime and cryptocurrency, co-sponsoring the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/118th-congress\/senate-bill\/2669\/cosponsors?s=2&r=1&q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22Digital+Asset+Anti-Money+Laundering+Act%22%7D\">Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act<\/a> and helping to get the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cortezmasto.senate.gov\/news\/press-releases\/cortez-masto-cassidy-sinema-moran-introduce-bill-to-combat-financial-crime\/\">FinCEN Improvement Act<\/a> \u2014 which strengthened the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network\u2019s powers \u2014 passed and signed into law.<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"4.4515539305302\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"15\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/senators-re-up-bill-to-expand-secret-services-financial-cybercrime-authorities-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Matt Bracken\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Matt Bracken<\/h4>\n<p> Matt Bracken is the managing editor of FedScoop and CyberScoop, overseeing coverage of federal government technology policy and cybersecurity. Before joining Scoop News Group in 2023, Matt was a senior editor at Morning Consult, leading data-driven coverage of tech, finance, health and energy. He previously worked in various editorial roles at The Baltimore Sun and the Arizona Daily Star. You can reach him at matt.bracken@scoopnewsgroup.com. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div class=\"popular-stories__container\">\n<h2 class=\"popular-stories__title\"> More Scoops <\/h2>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<section class=\"latest-podcasts\">\n<h2 class=\"latest-podcasts__title\"> Latest Podcasts\t<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"top-categories\">\n<div class=\"top-categories__container\">\n<h3 class=\"top-categories__category-title\">Government<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"top-categories__container\">\n<h3 class=\"top-categories__category-title\">Technology<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/main> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--bottom \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"interstitial\" class=\"welcome__container\"> <button id=\"close-modal-1\" class=\"welcome__clickable_area\"><\/button> <\/p>\n<div class=\"welcome__ad_wrapper\">\n<p> <button id=\"close-modal-3\" class=\"welcome__continue-button\">Continue to CyberScoop<\/button> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>   <\/body> <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/secret-service-financial-cybercrimes-senate-bill\/\">Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Senators re-up bill to expand Secret Service\u2019s financial cybercrime authorities<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3799,4069,282,439,1422],"tags":[3804,4070,286,443,1423],"class_list":["post-7516","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-catherine-cortez-masto","category-chuck-grassley","category-cybercrime","category-policy","category-secret-service","tag-catherine-cortez-masto","tag-chuck-grassley","tag-cybercrime","tag-policy","tag-secret-service"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":"","thumbnail":"","medium":"","medium_large":"","large":"","1536x1536":"","2048x2048":"","chromenews-featured":"","chromenews-large":"","chromenews-medium":""},"author_info":{"display_name":"Cyber Scoop","author_link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/author\/cyberscoop\/"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/catherine-cortez-masto\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Catherine Cortez Masto<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/chuck-grassley\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Chuck Grassley<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/cybercrime\/\" rel=\"category tag\">cybercrime<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/policy\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Policy<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/category\/secret-service\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Secret Service<\/a>","tag_info":"Secret Service","comment_count":"0","jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7516","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7516"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7516\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7516"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7516"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7516"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

{"id":7516,"date":"2025-04-04T14:01:02","date_gmt":"2025-04-04T19:01:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=84096"},"modified":"2025-04-04T14:01:02","modified_gmt":"2025-04-04T19:01:02","slug":"senators-re-up-bill-to-expand-secret-services-financial-cybercrime-authorities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2025\/04\/04\/senators-re-up-bill-to-expand-secret-services-financial-cybercrime-authorities\/","title":{"rendered":"Senators re-up bill to expand Secret Service\u2019s financial cybercrime authorities"},"content":{"rendered":"