Bitcoin’s Dark Side: How Crypto Became Central to a Shocking New Zealand Murder Case
When digital gold meets deadly intent. A high-profile homicide investigation in New Zealand has exposed cryptocurrency's role in modern crime—proving once again that where there's money (even the virtual kind), there's motive.
The case cuts through crypto's glossy veneer, revealing what regulators won't tell you: decentralized finance doesn't mean crime-free finance. And while Bitcoin maximalists cheer new ATHs, this tragedy bypasses the hype to show blockchain's immutable ledger works both ways—perfect for tracing transactions, equally perfect for tracing crimes.
Another day, another reminder that 14 years after Bitcoin's creation, we're still figuring out how to handle digital assets without the collateral damage. But hey—at least the lawyers and forensic accountants are getting rich.
Red flags
"It's all safe, mum, don't worry," DeLuney had allegedly told Gregory when confronted about previous unauthorized crypto investments, according to family friend Cheryl Thomson's testimony.
Instead of crypto investments, DeLuney used the money to pay credit card debt, buy a Lotto ticket, and make payments to Sky TV, Afterpay, and Mitre 10, with only $1,200 actually invested in crypto.
The cash deposit pattern raised red flags as on June 25, 2023, DeLuney made eight deposits totaling $18,000 (NZ$29,800) at smart ATMs, with $12,000 (NZ$20,000) deposited in four transactions within minutes.
While DeLuney allegedly believed crypto offered anonymity for her schemes, blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis pointed out to Decrypt that the opposite is often true.
"While criminals often erroneously view crypto as a tool for financial anonymity, their reliance on the blockchain has allowed investigators to trace these transactions more easily than WOULD have been possible with traditional cash-based money laundering," the company stated in its latest crypto crime report.
"Unlike traditional financial investigations, where evidence is often siloed across different institutions, the blockchain offers a single, authoritative, transparent, and Immutable ledger,” the firm said.
During police interviews, DeLuney claimed she left her mother's house to get help after Gregory fell from the attic, returning to find her dead. She maintains that someone else killed her mother during the 90 minutes she was gone.
However, police questioning revealed inconsistencies in her account, particularly regarding blood evidence found throughout the house and on the attic ladder.
DeLuney has maintained her innocence, with her defense team arguing police focused too narrowly on her as a suspect.
