How bitcoins get confiscated?

[GenTarkin]

If a simple password was used to encrypt the wallet / keys then its easy to confiscate, takes a trivial amount of computing power in such case. Many human generated passwords are easy to crack. Also, there is the possibility of a wallet not being encrypted at all like a plain text paper wallet.

[ensurance982]

Well interesting question... I think it depends on the method you're e.g. arresting someone. If you plan on arresting a person and spy on them, you could just go and transfer the BTC before arresting them. Although I believe the 5 dollar wrench method is the easiest of all. Or just send them to jail... same result.

[9000]

The majority of cases from digital forensic, but other cases when it is known the individual has the coins I guess it's court mandated or something like that, because if no one knows you have the coins they cannot be confiscated.

[Wary]

The majority of cases from digital forensic, but other cases when it is known the individual has the coins I guess it's court mandated or something like that, because if no one knows you have the coins they cannot be confiscated.

Probably it is the best protection. 

[Mikestang]

It's called asset seizure.  The feds coming in and confiscate ALL of your possessions that they can link to your crime.  They don't need much any evidence, just a feeling that the property was acquired through ill-gotten means and they take it from you.  You do not have a choice.  You don't get to "hide some for later".  I've watched this happen first hand to a life-long family friend and it's not pretty.  They say "You got XYZ by being a bad guy, so we're taking it from you." and there's not really anything you can do about it.

[Cult]

It's called asset seizure.  The feds coming in and confiscate ALL of your possessions that they can link to your crime.  They don't need much any evidence, just a feeling that the property was acquired through ill-gotten means and they take it from you.  You do not have a choice.  You don't get to "hide some for later".  I've watched this happen first hand to a life-long family friend and it's not pretty.  They say "You got XYZ by being a bad guy, so we're taking it from you." and there's not really anything you can do about it.

That's just stupid, the burden of proof is on the side of the accusation, if you can prove your stuff was legitimately obtained, it will be returned.

[BillyBobZorton]

The person might not have used a password on the wallet. Even if used, the person must not secure it with weak algorithm or guessable passwords like your cat's name or your mother's name. Usually, the person has to turn over the Bitcoins if not additional charges might get pressed.

Well a good password would help against hacking, but if the goverment forces want to get in and you don't tell your password I assume you would get into trouble anyway?

[Totaldice]

It all comes down to whether you think you can handle threats like a longer sentence (or maybe even torture). If you have nothing to lose (family etc.), then saying fuck off to the feds will work fine for you. However, if you think you would agree to give up your wallet to get a shorter sentence then a strong password really doesn't help.

[Wary]

It's called asset seizure.  The feds coming in and confiscate ALL of your possessions that they can link to your crime.  They don't need much any evidence, just a feeling that the property was acquired through ill-gotten means and they take it from you.  You do not have a choice.  You don't get to "hide some for later".  I've watched this happen first hand to a life-long family friend and it's not pretty.  They say "You got XYZ by being a bad guy, so we're taking it from you." and there's not really anything you can do about it.

The beauty of blockchain is that no asset sezure gives them access to your bitcoins. They can't get them without your cooperation. If you are tough enough to keep saying "no", despite of threats, rapes and wrenches, you'll keep your bitcoins, all of them.

[GigaBit]

I don't think you know the history of currency confiscation... well, not in North America.
The only one ever in the USA was voluntary, there was no door-to-door confiscation.
It is estimated that only 10% of Americans handed in their gold.
IE: Only 10% of Americans were stupid compared to 40% today.
Confiscation was pitched to people who wanted to help in the war effort but were wealthy and had no offspring to send to war.
The wealthy, obviously, never turned theirs in.

In Cryptos, the same would have to apply; A person would have to willfully hand over their keys or coins.
This means, there wouldn't be cops going door-to-door to confiscate wealth, you'd hand it in yourself.
In other countries, I guess, they'd kill you and steal it or you're not even allowed to own any.
If someone is forced to hand them over, this person could technically never say anything and they'd never find anything.
It's not like a bank where if you don't pay they can garnish your wages and assets.
Also, Gold can be found if you hid it... Gold bullion and nuggets can be found rather easily.

That's why my precious wealth is in both virtual and metallic versions and both are impossible to find.

[fonenumba]

A red-hot soldering bar in the ass of bitcoin holder makes miracles. )))

We are assuming that most modern governments (at least the US) wouldn't use violence/threat of violence to extract information.
At least from what we have heard until now, the seizure of bitcoins has been due to mistakes committed by the holders. 

Even if violence is not directly threatened, other threats can be given to intimidate someone into giving up access to their private keys. The government could threaten to bring additional charges (that may or may not be legit, or even have any intention of bringing), could threaten to investigate friends/family, could threaten to drag their name through the mud, could lie to them, among other things

[countryfree]

It's becoming more and more common that police seizes all computer equipment. A quick check will reveal if there's some kind of BTC software in it (or frequent connections to blockchain.info), and if there's any, they will dig further.

[Mikestang]

It's called asset seizure.  The feds coming in and confiscate ALL of your possessions that they can link to your crime.  They don't need much any evidence, just a feeling that the property was acquired through ill-gotten means and they take it from you.  You do not have a choice.  You don't get to "hide some for later".  I've watched this happen first hand to a life-long family friend and it's not pretty.  They say "You got XYZ by being a bad guy, so we're taking it from you." and there's not really anything you can do about it.

That's just stupid, the burden of proof is on the side of the accusation, if you can prove your stuff was legitimately obtained, it will be returned.

Do you keep receipts for everything you own?  Most people don't.  What you say is, in theory, how it should work, but in real life it doesn't.

[XCASH]

It's becoming more and more common that police seizes all computer equipment. A quick check will reveal if there's some kind of BTC software in it (or frequent connections to blockchain.info), and if there's any, they will dig further.

That would work for most legit bitcoin users who don't bother covering their tracks. However, the bad guys are likely to go to extreme lengths to cover their tracks and hide their wallets/keys from seizure.

[jjacob]

We are assuming that most modern governments (at least the US) wouldn't use violence/threat of violence to extract information.

Where did you get that idea from?  The US is pretty big on torture all things considered.

Even for white collar crimes? If you are suspected of being part of Al-Qaeda, then it is a different story.
Wasn't Guantanamo Bay set up because they couldn't torture prisoners on US soil?

[Blackbird0]

The person might not have used a password on the wallet. Even if used, the person must not secure it with weak algorithm or guessable passwords like your cat's name or your mother's name. Usually, the person has to turn over the Bitcoins if not additional charges might get pressed.

Well a good password would help against hacking, but if the goverment forces want to get in and you don't tell your password I assume you would get into trouble anyway?

If the government served a subpoena duces tecum on you to provide an unecrypted wallet.dat or to simply provide a wallet password, and one refused the grand jury subpoena, one could be found in contempt of court and imprisoned for the duration of the session of the grand jury that is sitting. At least, that's my tentative thinking on the matter.

[yvv]

We are assuming that most modern governments (at least the US) wouldn't use violence/threat of violence to extract information.

Where did you get that idea from?  The US is pretty big on torture all things considered.

Even for white collar crimes? If you are suspected of being part of Al-Qaeda, then it is a different story.
Wasn't Guantanamo Bay set up because they couldn't torture prisoners on US soil?

You are so naive. Guantanamo is not a prison, it is a concentration camp. People are kept there with no legitimate grounds there. This would be possible, but more difficult under US jurisdiction.

As for tortures, interrogators do not care, who the fuck are you, white collar, or rainbow ass. They use the same tactics against everybody: kind interrogator changes rough interrogator. They repeat the cycle until a subject of interrogation brakes.

[fox19891989]

Police will ask criminals password according to the laws, the dirty money must be confiscated, that's normal.

Not only BTC, if criminals have bank accounts, they(court) will freeze the account and money.

[ed_teech]

They simply can't confiscate anything unless they are given the private keys. Theoretically impossible.

[calme]

Powerful government types would typically view bitcoiners as stupid liberals/libertarians. The government types are typically neither party of the sort. Studies both in the UK and abroad have shown republican brains to be biologically wired differently and that they're generally more forceful, more impulsive and typically less intelligent. I'd wager they're less creative and open minded as well. No need to categorize humans into just a couple or few political parties but it does demonstrate that we're not dealing with our own kind. Basically, they're thieving aliens who do onto liberals/libertarians what liberals/libertarians would be less likely to do onto others.