Course Outline
Foundations of Blockchain Technology
Decentralisation, openness, and transparency as architectural features
Cryptographic primitives securing the chain: hashing, digital signatures, and Merkle trees
Consensus mechanisms: Proof of Work, Proof of Stake, and emerging alternatives
Nodes, miners, validators, and the topology of a live network
Overview of the Cryptocurrency Landscape
Bitcoin and the original ledger model
Ethereum and account-based smart contract execution
Privacy-focused chains: Monero, Zcash, and their distinctions from transparent ledgers
Stablecoins, altchains, and their role in illicit flows
Hands-On Lab - Reading the Blockchain
Connecting to Bitcoin and Ethereum nodes for real-time data access
Navigating block explorers and querying live transactions
Analysing raw transactions, scripts, and smart contract calls
Mapping a wallet's history on a transparent chain
Wallets, Keys, and Transaction Mechanics
Wallet taxonomy: web, desktop, mobile, hardware, and custodial versus non-custodial types
Seed phrases, key derivation, and recovery vectors
UTXO versus account-based transaction models
Addresses, change outputs, and transaction graphs from a tracer's perspective
Mining and Trading as Investigative Context
Mining mechanics, pools, hash rate, and how mining is exploited to launder or generate funds
Centralised exchanges, decentralised exchanges, and over-the-counter (OTC) desks
Know Your Customer (KYC) and AML controls at exchanges and their vulnerabilities
How trading patterns can obscure underlying corruption flows
Smart Contracts and the DeFi Ecosystem
Understanding smart contracts and on-chain state observability
DeFi primitives: swaps, lending, liquidity pools, and yield farming
Cross-chain bridges and wrapped assets as obfuscation tools
Analysing contract interactions for investigative indicators
Hands-On Lab - Wallet and Transaction Forensics
Inspecting hardware and software wallets in a controlled environment
Recovering and analysing artefacts from seized devices
Reconstructing transaction graphs across UTXO and account-based chains
Address Clustering and Attribution
Common-input clustering and other industry-standard heuristics
Change-output detection and behavioural fingerprints
Linking on-chain entities to off-chain identities through Open Source Intelligence (OSINT)
Combining web crawling, social media, and leaked data sources for attribution
Dark Web, Marketplaces, and Criminal Cryptocurrency Flows
Mapping criminal economies on dark web marketplaces
Common typologies: scams, fraud, contraband, and sanctions evasion
Tracking proceeds from initial deposit through cash-out points
Indicators of corruption-linked crypto activity
Privacy-Enhancing Tools and Counter-Forensics
Mixers, tumblers, and CoinJoin implementations
Privacy coins and the limitations of public-chain tracing
Cross-chain bridges and asset wrapping as obfuscation layers
What tracing can and cannot recover under each technique
Hands-On Lab - Tracing a Suspect Wallet
Using open-source tools to follow a complex transaction graph
Clustering a wallet network and assigning confidence levels to attribution
Documenting findings as a structured intelligence package
Money Laundering Typologies in Crypto
Placement, layering, and integration adapted to digital assets
Layering through decentralised exchanges, bridges, and mixers
DeFi protocols as laundering surfaces and methods for analysis
Cash-out vectors: peer-to-peer markets, OTC desks, and prepaid instruments
Ransomware, Theft, and Scam Response
Ransomware payment patterns and immediate response steps
Negotiation and recovery practices, including limits and risks
Exchange hacks, rug pulls, phishing, and large-scale theft analysis
Working with victims to preserve evidence without compromising the investigation
Cross-Chain Investigation
Tracing assets across Bitcoin, Ethereum, and EVM-compatible chains
Following funds through bridges and wrapped tokens
Reconciling on-chain evidence with exchange and off-chain records
Hands-On Simulation - Corruption Investigation Lab
Simulated bribery flow across multiple chains and a mixer
Building a coherent narrative from fragmented on-chain evidence
Producing chain-of-custody documentation for digital evidence
AML Compliance and the Legal Landscape
FATF guidance, the Travel Rule, and jurisdictional differences
AML and KYC obligations across virtual asset service providers
Sanctions, politically exposed persons, and corruption-relevant typologies
Integrating cryptocurrency findings into existing compliance programmes
Working with Exchanges and Cross-Border Partners
Subpoenas, Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs), and information-sharing channels
Freezing orders, asset preservation, and seizure procedures
Coordinating cryptocurrency tracing with traditional financial investigation lines
Digital Evidence and Courtroom Readiness
Chain of custody for cryptocurrency artefacts and on-chain evidence
Presenting blockchain evidence to non-technical decision-makers and juries
Common challenges to digital evidence and strategies to defend findings
Working with expert witnesses and external technical advisors
Capstone - End-to-End Corruption Inquiry Simulation
Managing an investigation from the initial intelligence tip through to completion
Building the wallet network, attribution, and timeline
Engaging exchanges and cross-border partners
Producing a courtroom-ready report and oral briefing
Summary and Next Steps
Requirements
- Intermediate technical proficiency, encompassing networking concepts and basic Linux command-line operations
- A working grasp of cryptographic principles, including hashing and public-key encryption
- Background experience in financial investigation, cybersecurity, forensics, or compliance
- Familiarity with at least one scripting language is advantageous but not mandatory
- General understanding of financial transactions and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) principles
Target Audience
Investigators and forensic analysts within anti-corruption agencies, financial crime units, and law enforcement bodies. Cybersecurity specialists supporting fraud detection, AML initiatives, and digital evidence management. Compliance and risk professionals operating in regulated environments with growing cryptocurrency exposure.
Testimonials (2)
- like the blockchain introduction. For a blockchain newbie like me, its englighten me. - Like the technical workshop, also interesting
Muhammad Lutfi Budiansyah - PT Digital Daya Teknologi
Course - Web3 Engineering & Supply Chain Finance Architecture
I really enjoy the training with Patrick. He is clearly very knowledgeable on various topics related to blockchain. He explains really well.
