The OSCE, with the support of the National Institute of Justice, conducted a practical workshop on virtual assets for judges and prosecutors in Chisinau, Moldova, on 24 and 25 March. This was the first OSCE workshop on this topic for representatives of the Moldovan judiciary after a series of trainings targeted at investigators, regulators and representatives of financial institutions.
Through expert-led sessions and case studies, participants explored how virtual assets are exploited for money laundering and other financial crimes. The workshop also provided practical guidance on digital evidence collection for criminal proceedings, international co-operation mechanisms and the latest investigative tools on the blockchain.
"Virtual assets are here to stay and we need to be ready to address both the risks and opportunities they pose," said Vera Strobachova-Budway, Senior Economic Officer and Head of Economic Governance Unit at the OSCE. "It is important to work with the judiciary to ensure an effective legal response to financial crimes, money laundering and terrorism financing, which increasingly features virtual assets."
The workshop was organized as part of the extrabudgetary project "Innovative policy solutions to mitigate money-laundering risks of virtual assets", implemented by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities and financially supported by Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
