Illegal file sharing leads German police to seize $2.1 billion worth of Bitcoin.
German authorities have seized around 50,000 Bitcoins, valued at about $2.1 billion, as part of a sweeping investigation into an illicit online file-sharing service. This represents the largest amount of Bitcoin ever confiscated by German law enforcement. The operation involved collaboration between Saxony state prosecutors, Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office, and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The investigation has primarily focused on two individuals suspected of amassing this substantial Bitcoin wealth through profits generated by a German file-sharing website that shut down in 2013. Prosecutors claim that one of the suspects transferred these digital assets into a wallet controlled by the federal police of Germany.
Bitcoin has been experiencing a consecutive monthly increase, potentially marking its longest period of gains since the surge driven by pandemic-related financial policies. This recent enforcement action highlights the ongoing efforts to combat illegal online activities and the growing importance of cryptocurrency in such operations.
