Extremist Neo-Nazi Groups Solicit Bitcoin Contributions in Anticipation of Returns to Trump-Led U.S.
It seems that a notorious neo-Nazi group, known as "The Base," is escalating its presence in the United States, and cryptocurrency appears to be playing a role in their growth strategies.
"The Base," established by a former U.S. special forces officer, aims to eliminate society to make way for a "white ethnostate." The group's leader, Rinaldo Nazzaro, has ties to the U.S. military, having served in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, he moved to Russia in 2017 and has been questioned about potential ties to Russian intelligence services.
Originally exposing Nazzaro as the group's leader, The Guardian acquired an anonymized audio message from a supposed leader of the fascist group, hinting at the implementation of a "military solution" to shape America's trajectory. The audio is unclear in origin.
On the day of Trump's inauguration, The Base solicited donations via Bitcoin, claiming that the funds would be used for weapons and ammunition. Crypto donations to extremist groups worldwide had recently decreased, but a surge of such activities affected significant parts of Europe.
If the recent recruiting surge in the U.S. is of concern, as suggested by an extremism researcher, the FBI's new approach under President Biden may impact the future dealings of such radical groups. With MAGA enthusiast Kash Patel taking charge of the Justice Department, investigations into far-right extremism could be re-focused.
Far-right groups experienced a surge of support during Trump's first administration, with past premises of "compliments" and "support" evolving into official pardons. The Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, sentenced to 22 years in 2023, recently received a full pardon from President Trump, who had previously complimented David Duke, the former leader of the Ku Klux Klan. Tarrio was re-arrested on Friday for allegedly assaulting a woman at a political gathering.
The limited details available suggest that The Base might be following common extremist group trends when using cryptocurrencies for fundraising, relying on the perceived anonymity, cross-border transactions, crowdfunding capabilities, and online platforms to promote donation addresses.
- Chainanalysis, a leading crypto forensics firm, has noted an increase in cryptocurrency usage among extremist groups, including "The Base," due to the perceived anonymity and cross-border transactions.
- To combat this, the Department of Justice under President Biden may source information from tech companies to trace transactions linked to extremist groups, as part of their renewed focus on far-right extremism under MAGA enthusiast Kash Patel.
- In the future, advanced technology and improved blockchain analytics could potentially make it harder for extremist groups like "The Base" to use cryptocurrencies for illicit activities, potentially curbing theirfinancial support.
- However, tech companies must remain vigilant, as extremists may resort to using new, emerging technologies, requiring constant adaptation and innovation in the field of tech to stay ahead.
