The Center for Crime Science, in collaboration with Security Pitch, organized a special lecture on Thursday, 13 November 2025, delivered by :
Dr. Arda Akartuna
Head of Crypto Threat Research (APAC), Elliptic
Assistant Professor in Crypto & Future Crimes, City University of Hong Kong
AI + Crypto = The new weapon of cybercriminal organizations
Modern criminals are changing the game by combining AI and cryptocurrency to increase efficiency, realism, and speed in both scam operations and money laundering. In this lecture, Dr. Akartuna highlighted the following key points
1. The use of AI to enhance scam efficiency
- Using deepfakes and voice changers to impersonate executives or celebrities and order money transfers
- Using AI chatbots to run multiple romance scams at the same time
- Using AI for real-time translation, making conversations sound natural
- Creating fake explicit images of victims for blackmail or to accelerate romance scams
- Using WormGPT to write illegal code and rapidly create fake investment websites
2. More sophisticated crypto money-laundering techniques
- Use of darknet/underground markets such as Garantex
- Use of AI to create fake IDs to bypass KYC systems
- Cross-chain crime techniques to move funds across different blockchains and hide trails
- Converting funds via non-KYC OTC channels and crypto ATMs to withdraw cash
3. Countermeasures and response tools
- Elliptic Investigator can trace cryptocurrency transactions in detail, including automatic cross-chain tracking
- AI can be used to detect abnormal transaction patterns such as Pig Butchering Scams, in which victims are gradually persuaded to “invest,” receive small profits, and gain trust—before being tricked into transferring a large sum of money. In many cases, this represents the victim’s life savings.
4. Research to understand criminal networks
A research project by City University of Hong Kong
- AI was used to analyze over 1,200 open-source data points
- More than 2,600 connections were mapped in criminal networks
- The model helps predict the impact of government crackdowns
Cybercrime is evolving faster than ever before. Building knowledge, strengthening international cooperation, and developing advanced tools are key to effectively combating digital-age threats.
