Recovery and Confiscation of Crypto-Assets in International Practice: Myths of Efficiency, Institutional Traps, and Real Limits of Restitution
This report provides a critical analysis of the legal and institutional models for seizing digital assets in international law enforcement practice. The research exposes a significant gap between the public narrative of “successful fund recovery” and the actual statistics of restitution for victims. The author details the substitution of concepts where asset confiscation for state revenue dominates over the tasks of restoring the rights of crime victims. Special emphasis is placed on the role of private platforms as de facto seizure operators, the political and economic incentives of state agencies, and the problem of interstate competition for confiscated funds. The report reveals systemic barriers that turn crypto-assets into a convenient object for fiscal replenishment, often excluding actual damage compensation for those affected.
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