In addition to being possibly the largest money-laundering case in US history, the Liberty Reserve investigation marks the first time a search warrant has been obtained for an online server in the Internet cloud. It was also the first time a provision in the Patriot Act (which allowed US officials to target Liberty Reserve even though it was founded abroad) had been used to target a digital currency provider. “Cybercrime poses one of the greatest threats we face as a country, threatening our national security, our financial security, and our privacy,” Bharara said. “For that reason, we will continue to make cybercrime a significant priority, and continue to not only prosecute cybercriminals, but dismantle the online infrastructures like Liberty Reserve that make widespread cybercrime possible.”
Richard Drew/AP/File
