AFP Unveils Plan to Dismantle Dark Web Crime and Crypto Scam Rings

What if the next big online crime wasn’t just a data breach or a phishing attack—but a dark web crypto scam designed to exploit children and spread violence? In her powerful National Press Club address, AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett revealed disturbing details about decentralized online crime networks weaponizing the digital world against Australia’s youth.

Inside the Twisted Crypto Scam Web

Commissioner Barrett described a disturbing rise in decentralized crime networks glorifying violence, sadism, and cybercrime—linked by a new phenomenon she calls “crimefluencers.” These online groups operate much like crypto scam rings: anonymous, borderless, and bound by a shared appetite for control and notoriety.

The team has already identified 59 alleged offenders involved in these networks—young men between 17 and 20, targeting mostly pre-teen and teenage girls. Their motivation isn’t money but amusement and fame. Some even trade victims like tokens, mimicking the trading culture of markets.

In these dark communities, perpetrators must “level up” by producing content showing escalating acts of cruelty—self-harm, violence, and exploitation. The parallels to a scam ecosystem are haunting: recruitment through deception, anonymity-driven abuse, and value measured in digital infamy.

Taskforce Pompilid: The AFP’s Counter-Offensive

To fight this new-age threat, Barrett announced Taskforce Pompilid, a national operation dedicated to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling these online criminal ecosystems. This includes targeting crypto scam networks, cyber exploiters, and radicalized online communities using encrypted apps to spread harm.

Working with Microsoft , the team is developing an AI prototype capable of decoding emojis, Gen Z slang, and encrypted messages—tools often used by scammers to evade detection. These innovations aim to detect and prevent exploitation before it escalates.

The Commissioner emphasized that “the AFP exists to protect Australians,” reassuring parents that they are not alone in safeguarding children from online predators and misinformation.

A Growing Threat Beyond Borders

Barrett revealed that the AFP’s intelligence has already led to nine international arrests and three domestic arrests, preventing further child victimization. Internationally, their data has helped uncover crimes including murder, cyber extortion, and child exploitation—all linked to the same decentralized digital underworld.

She also announced the creation of an Australian Federal Police Social Cohesion Consultative Board, uniting community leaders, youth advocates, and experts to combat digital scams, sextortion, radicalization, and foreign interference.

From Colombian narco-traffickers using digital assets payments to online extremist recruiters, Barrett warned that “crime is now both global and local,” and that the team must operate as a national security agency to protect Australia’s digital sovereignty.

Crypto Crackdown: How AFP Outsmarted the Scammers

In one operation, the data scientists cracked a crypto wallet belonging to a suspected criminal who had hidden $9 million in illicit funds. By deciphering a fake recovery code, the Australian Federal Police recovered millions—proving that human ingenuity still trumps machine encryption. Another case recovered $3 million more, with the funds redirected to crime prevention efforts.

Conclusion

Commissioner Barrett’s revelations expose how crypto scams have evolved—no longer just financial frauds but tools of psychological and physical control. The AFP’s new taskforces, AI tools, and community partnerships mark a turning point in defending Australia’s digital future.