Authorities now have the upper hand against Nancy Guthrie’s purported kidnapper, according to a cryptocurrency expert.
Bezalel Eithan Raviv, the CEO and founder ofLionsgate Network— a crypto recovery service with expertise in Blockchain forensics — spoke with Page Six aftera deposit was made into a Bitcoin walletrelated to Guthrie’s ransom note late Tuesday.
“If the reported $150 transaction to the alleged ransom Bitcoin wallet is accurate, it aligns with a known investigative tactic,” Raviv said. “A small ‘test’ transfer can sometimes be used to confirm that the wallet is active and to trigger blockchain monitoring tools.”
The Israeli tech entrepreneur noted that, despite misconceptions, Bitcoin is “not anonymous” and is very much traceable.
“The moment funds move, they leave a permanent digital footprint,” Raviv said. “That activity can provide investigators with valuable intelligence, especially if the wallet interacts with exchanges or custodial services where identity verification is required.”
When monitoring criminal crypto activity, his firm follows what they call a “cow’s bell.”
“Once a wallet is identified and tagged, every movement can trigger alerts, no matter how many times the funds split, consolidate, or hop across wallets. Every step leaves a signal,” he said.
Raviv believes authorities may have gained an advantage in their investigation after funds were sent to the Bitcoin wallet.
“If this wallet has now received funds, the dynamic shifts,” Raviv explained. “The person demanding ransom may believe they are in control, but once a transaction is made, they become the one being watched.
“The ransom actor is no longer just making demands. They are now the target of forensic tracking.”
Source: Drudge Report
