In a landmark case that marks the first opportunity for the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on the Fourth Amendment rights of cryptocurrency users in the context of IRS investigations, the DeFi Education Fund (DEF) has filed an amicus brief urging the court to consider the unique aspects of crypto technology when evaluating privacy rights.
The case — IRS vs. James Harper — revolves around the government ordering cryptocurrency exchange Kraken to provide data related to cryptocurrency transaction records of more than 14,000 people, including Harper, for tax enforcement purposes.
Kraken said it tried to fight back against the order as it considered it an overreach of authority, and the requests could have compromised users’ personal data like IP addresses, net worth, employment data, and sources of wealth.
The case outcome is expected to have far-reaching implications for the intersection of digital privacy and law enforcement.
Fourth Amendment concerns
The DeFi Education Fund argued that the court must consider the differences between cryptocurrency technology and traditional financial institutions (TradFi) when addressing Fourth Amendment concerns.
DEF chief legal officer Amanda Tuminelli said blockchain data provides authorities with “an intimate view into a person’s financial life in the past, present, and future” that has not been possible before.
She added that
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Author: Assad Jafri