UK's Insolvency Service appoints crypto specialist
The UK's Insolvency Service has appointed its first-ever dedicated crypto intelligence specialist to recover digital assets from bankrupt individuals and criminal cases.
Former police economic crime investigator Andrew Small has taken on the newly created role, which sits within the agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Services team.
The Insolvency Service, an executive agency of the Department for Business and Trade, is responsible for tracing and recovering assets from individuals and companies facing insolvency.
With crypto assets becoming increasingly common in such cases, the agency says Small’s expertise will help investigators navigate the complex world of digital currencies and tokens.
Neil Freebury, head of intelligence at the Insolvency Service, said: "We’ve seen the number of insolvency cases involving crypto asset ownership rise four-fold in the past five years.
"Andrew brings a wealth of knowledge to this role, along with his previous experience as an economic crime investigator within the police, and his appointment will help our investigators dealing with cases where crypto asset ownership is a factor."