Photo: Bretwa / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
Brooklyn DA says Binance routes law enforcement requests through UAE, slowing fraud investigations
A policy shift at the world's largest crypto exchange is forcing US prosecutors to navigate foreign bureaucracies just to get basic user records.
When you’re chasing stolen crypto, every hour matters. The Brooklyn District Attorney’s office is learning that lesson the hard way, as Binance’s new data-request policy forces American prosecutors to go through United Arab Emirates authorities just to access user records tied to fraud investigations.
Assistant DA Alona Katz, who works on digital asset cases, put it bluntly. “How fast you get your records determines the outcome of your case.” And right now, those records are taking a lot longer to arrive.
What changed at Binance
In April 2025, Binance rolled out a new routing policy for foreign law enforcement requests. Under the updated framework, most data requests from authorities outside the UAE now need to be processed through UAE agencies or formal Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties, known as MLATs.
Binance, for its part, says it still responds directly to urgent cases involving child exploitation and terrorism. The exchange also maintains that its overall cooperation with law enforcement has improved year-over-year.
The DOJ weighs in
The Brooklyn DA’s office isn’t alone in raising alarms. A memo from the US Department of Justice flagged concerns about reduced cooperation from Binance on urgent asset freezes and seizures. European investigators have reportedly encountered similar friction, with the new routing requirements complicating efforts to freeze assets and track scammers before funds disappear.
Binance operates under the regulation of the Abu Dhabi Global Market, which gives it a legal basis for routing requests through UAE authorities.
Brooklyn’s crypto unit and the bigger picture
The Brooklyn DA’s Virtual Currency Unit was established in 2023 under District Attorney Eric Gonzalez specifically to tackle digital asset fraud. The unit has already been involved in several high-profile investigations, including asset seizures and domain takedowns targeting crypto scammers.
As major crypto exchanges seek regulatory legitimacy in jurisdictions like the UAE, they’re increasingly subject to local data-sharing rules that may conflict with the needs of foreign law enforcement.