In the current socio-cultural context, which is increasingly permeated by IT and technological innovation, blockchain applied to cryptocurrencies has assumed a predominant role in recent years. This technology, although born as a positive tool, functional for the publicity and transparency of transactions, is being exploited by cybercriminals, economic criminals of the 21st century, with dysfunctional effects on primary legal assets and the economy. In fact, by taking advantage of the legal loopholes in this area, by exploiting the characteristics of the blockchain - such as decentralisation, pseudo-anonymity and irreversibility of transactions - and also by using specific mixing and tumbling software, a wide range of frauds, money laundering, terrorist financing, market manipulation and insider trading based on the use of cryptocurrencies have emerged. The research is based on the assumption that there is an inseparable relationship between economics, crime and criminal law, which is strongly influenced by the continuous development of technology and information technology. This premise, of course, requires an interdisciplinary approach aimed at a thorough understanding of the phenomenon under study from a criminological and sociological point of view, i.e. from an economic and computer science point of view, even before the criminal law. In this sense, the study carried out aims to examine the phenomenon of "cryptocurrency economic crime" by looking at the characteristics of the perpetrator, his or her behaviour and the instruments used to commit the crime, in the knowledge that, far from acting on irrational emotional impulses, he or she pursues precise economic objectives that constitute the coordinates of all the choices made. In order to better understand the criminal scope of the phenomenon in question, it will be necessary to analyse blockchain technology as it is studied by computer science. In this sense, it will be necessary to examine whether the existing criminal law already meets the requirements imposed by the principle of typicality, or in what respects it can and should be supplemented. Given the specific nature of the subject matter, the discussion will be conducted taking into account the legal assets protected by the legal system. The case history of the last decade will then be analysed in order to assess the subsumability of the behaviour described in the incriminating cases already existing in the system. The focus will therefore be on the completeness of the transition from the formal to the substantive level, in order to examine whether the offence in question is already provided for as a criminal offence or whether, in compliance with both the principle of legality and the principle of offensiveness, an intervention by the legislator is necessary in order to ensure that behaviours that violate legal assets already protected by the legal system do not go unpunished. Finally, the analysis will move on to the latest frontiers of economic crimes that can be committed with the use of cryptocurrencies. In this sense, we will proceed to identify those crimes that, already provided for by the legal system in their traditional form, could also arise with the use of cryptocurrencies.
Nel contesto socioculturale attuale – sempre più pervaso dall’innovazione informatica e tecnologica – un ruolo predominante è stato assunto negli ultimi anni dalla blockchain applicata alle criptovalute. Detta tecnologia, seppur nata come strumento positivo, funzionale alla pubblicità e alla trasparenza delle transazioni, viene sfruttata dai cybercriminal, criminali economici del XXI secolo, con effetti disfunzionali su beni giuridici primari e per l’economia. Ed invero, detti soggetti, forti dei vuoti normativi in materia, da un lato, sfruttando le caratteristiche proprie della blockchain – quali la decentralizzazione, lo pseudoanonimato e l’irreversibilità delle transazioni– e, dall’altro lato, servendosi anche di specifici software di mixing e tumbling, hanno dato vita ad un’ampia casistica di condotte di truffa, riciclaggio, finanziamento del terrorismo, manipolazione del mercato ed insider trading basati sull’impiego di criptovalute. La ricerca muove dall’assunto che vi sia un rapporto inscindibile tra economia, criminalità, e diritto penale fortemente influenzato dal continuo evolversi della tecnologia e dell’informatica. Premessa, questa, che impone – evidentemente – un approccio interdisciplinare volto a comprendere in maniera approfondita il fenomeno indagato da un punto di vista criminologico e sociologico, quindi economico e informatico, ancor prima che penalistico. In tal senso, lo studio condotto intende indagare il fenomeno della “criminalità economica criptovalutaria” guardando alle caratteristiche del soggetto agente, alle sue modalità di condotta e agli strumenti utilizzati per delinquere, nella consapevolezza che egli – lungi dall’agire a causa di spinte emotive irrazionali – persegue precisi scopi economici, che rappresentano le coordinate di tutte le scelte compiute. A fronte di meglio comprendere la portata criminale del fenomeno in parola, sarà necessario analizzare la tecnologia blockchain, come studiata dalle scienze informatiche. Bisognerà, in tal senso, verificare se la normativa penalistica vigente sia già rispondente alle esigenze imposte dal principio di tipicità ovvero in che termini possa e debba essere integrata. Stante la particolarità della materia, la trattazione verrà condotta prendendo in considerazione i beni giuridici tutelati dall’ordinamento. Verrà quindi analizzata la casistica manifestatasi nell’ultimo decennio al fine di vagliare la sussumibilità delle condotte descritte nelle fattispecie incriminatrici già presenti nell’ordinamento. La riflessione avrà, dunque, ad oggetto la compiutezza del passaggio dal piano formale al piano sostanziale, sì da indagare se il crimine considerato è già previsto come reato ovvero, tanto nel rispetto del principio di legalità quanto di offensività, sia necessario un intervento del legislatore volto a garantire che condotte offensive di beni giuridici già tutelati dall’ordinamento non rimangano impunite. L’analisi, infine, si sposterà sulle ultime frontiere dei crimini economici che possono essere commessi con l’utilizzo di criptovalute. In tal senso, si procederà ad individuare quei reati che, già previsti dall’ordinamento nella loro forma tradizionale, potrebbero venire ad esistenza anche con l’utilizzo di criptovalute, ad oggi ancora rientranti nella c.d. cifra nera.
Criptovalute e diritto penale: progresso tecnologico, limiti normativi, linee di riforma / Carlotta Calemme , 2024 Jun 03. 36. ciclo, Anno Accademico 2022/2023.
Criptovalute e diritto penale: progresso tecnologico, limiti normativi, linee di riforma.
CALEMME, CARLOTTA
2024-06-03
Abstract
In the current socio-cultural context, which is increasingly permeated by IT and technological innovation, blockchain applied to cryptocurrencies has assumed a predominant role in recent years. This technology, although born as a positive tool, functional for the publicity and transparency of transactions, is being exploited by cybercriminals, economic criminals of the 21st century, with dysfunctional effects on primary legal assets and the economy. In fact, by taking advantage of the legal loopholes in this area, by exploiting the characteristics of the blockchain - such as decentralisation, pseudo-anonymity and irreversibility of transactions - and also by using specific mixing and tumbling software, a wide range of frauds, money laundering, terrorist financing, market manipulation and insider trading based on the use of cryptocurrencies have emerged. The research is based on the assumption that there is an inseparable relationship between economics, crime and criminal law, which is strongly influenced by the continuous development of technology and information technology. This premise, of course, requires an interdisciplinary approach aimed at a thorough understanding of the phenomenon under study from a criminological and sociological point of view, i.e. from an economic and computer science point of view, even before the criminal law. In this sense, the study carried out aims to examine the phenomenon of "cryptocurrency economic crime" by looking at the characteristics of the perpetrator, his or her behaviour and the instruments used to commit the crime, in the knowledge that, far from acting on irrational emotional impulses, he or she pursues precise economic objectives that constitute the coordinates of all the choices made. In order to better understand the criminal scope of the phenomenon in question, it will be necessary to analyse blockchain technology as it is studied by computer science. In this sense, it will be necessary to examine whether the existing criminal law already meets the requirements imposed by the principle of typicality, or in what respects it can and should be supplemented. Given the specific nature of the subject matter, the discussion will be conducted taking into account the legal assets protected by the legal system. The case history of the last decade will then be analysed in order to assess the subsumability of the behaviour described in the incriminating cases already existing in the system. The focus will therefore be on the completeness of the transition from the formal to the substantive level, in order to examine whether the offence in question is already provided for as a criminal offence or whether, in compliance with both the principle of legality and the principle of offensiveness, an intervention by the legislator is necessary in order to ensure that behaviours that violate legal assets already protected by the legal system do not go unpunished. Finally, the analysis will move on to the latest frontiers of economic crimes that can be committed with the use of cryptocurrencies. In this sense, we will proceed to identify those crimes that, already provided for by the legal system in their traditional form, could also arise with the use of cryptocurrencies.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.