BIG Blockchain Intelligence Group Inc. ("BIG") Announces Official Launch of its Forensic Services Division to Provide Expert-Level Cryptocurrency Search and Analytics Investigation

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BIG Blockchain Intelligence Group Inc. ("BIG" or "the Company") (CSE:BIGG) (WKN:A2JSKG) (OTC:BBKCF), a leading developer of Blockchain technology search, risk-scoring and data analytics solutions, is pleased to announce the official launch of its Forensic Services Division. This division fills a significant gap in the efforts of law enforcement and the finance sector to investigate, track, and monitor illicit activity involving cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, by bringing BIG's team of investigative experts into action. Certain investigations require in-depth expertise and experience, which the Forensic Services Division provides, either in conjunction with or supplemental to BIG’s user-friendly search, risk-scoring and data analytics tools: BitRank Verified^TM and QLUE^TM. 

The Forensic Services Division is headed by BIG's Director of Forensics and Investigations, Robert Whitaker, a former Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Supervisory Special Agent with over 23 years of experience in law enforcement, including serving as a Municipal Police Officer in El Paso, Texas for 8 years, and being assigned to Homeland Security Investigations Headquarters Illicit Finance and Proceeds of Crime Unit (IFPCU) and its Illicit Digital Economy Program (IDEP). The IDEP is responsible for overseeing cryptocurrency investigations undertaken by HSI -- providing training, equipment, analytical support and investigative methodologies used in the unique skills needed by HSI special agents engaged in investigations involving cryptocurrencies.

Mr. Whitaker commented, "I'm very honoured to be heading up BIG's Forensic Services Division and to have a real opportunity to shape how the cryptocurrency market emerges. It's still not entirely clear to what degree Bitcoin is being used for illicit activities such as money laundering or terrorist financing, which is understandable since Bitcoin is designed to have a high degree of anonymity compared to traditional currencies. But, as our team has explained before, Bitcoin is only pseudo-anonymous, meaning it can be tracked. So, in the same way that crime scene investigators use UV light as a tool that reveals evidence that was previously hidden, our Forensic Services Division uses our in-house tool, QLUE^TM, to investigate and uncover what is really going on behind cryptocurrency transactions."

BIG developed its proprietary flagship product, QLUE^TM (Qualitative Law Enforcement Unified Edge), as the solution to the problem of bringing security, confidence and transparency to the world of cryptocurrency transactions. QLUE^TM provides the ability to trace, track and monitor digital currency transactions, enabling law enforcement and financial institutions to level the playing field and catch the people that make up the quickly adapting criminal element hoping to use cryptocurrencies to hide illegal activities.

Mr. Whitaker and the Forensic Services Division use QLUE^TM to investigate several categories of criminal activity presently associated with cryptocurrency use, including:

• terrorist financing
• human trafficking
• drug trafficking
• weapons trafficking
• child pornography
• corruption and bribery
• money laundering

The Forensic Services Division creates a “paper trail” or cyber trail by gathering evidence, tracking the movement of funds, engaging in transaction risk assessment, and ultimately connecting criminals with their crimes. Mr. Whitaker’s knowledge and expertise in cryptocurrency and cyber/financial investigative fields is of tremendous significance in guiding this process, as are the relationships he has cultivated within U.S. government agencies and around the world during his time in law enforcement

The Forensic Services Division dovetails with BIG's strategy for bringing security, confidence and transparency to the cryptocurrency market, which involves: (1) working with law enforcement and the financial sector to fully expose the scope of the global Bitcoin laundering problem, and (2) providing a suite of proprietary tools and services needed to reduce the risk of illicit activities while also finding and rooting out the people and criminal activities behind the problem.

On behalf of the Board,

Lance Morginn

Chief Executive Officer

About BIG Blockchain Intelligence Group Inc.

BIG Blockchain Intelligence Group Inc. (BIG) brings security and accountability to the new era of cryptocurrency. BIG has developed from the ground up a Blockchain-agnostic search and analytics engine, QLUE^TM, enabling RegTech, Law Enforcement and Government Agencies to visually trace, track and monitor cryptocurrency transactions at a forensic level. Our commercial product, BitRank Verified^TM, offers a “risk score” for Bitcoin wallets, enabling RegTech, banks, ATMs, exchanges and retailers to meet traditional regulatory/compliance requirements.

About BitRank Verified^TM

BIG developed BitRank Verified^TM to be the industry gold standard in ranking and verifying cryptocurrency transactions. BitRank Verified^TM offers the financial world a simplified front-end results page, enabling consumer-facing bank tellers, exchanges, eCommerce sites and retailers to know whether a proposed transaction is safe to accept, questionable, or should be denied. BitRank Verified^TM and its API are custom tailored to provide the RegTech sector with a reliable tool for meeting their regulatory requirements while mitigating exposure to risk of money laundering or other criminal activities.

About QLUE^TM

QLUE™ (Qualitative Law Enforcement Unified Edge) enables Law Enforcement and RegTech investigators to literally “follow the virtual money”. QLUE™ incorporates advanced techniques and unique search algorithms to detect suspicious activity within bitcoin and cryptocurrency transactions, enabling investigators to quickly and visually trace, track and monitor transactions in their fight against terrorist financing, human trafficking, drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, child pornography, corruption, bribery, money laundering, and other cyber crimes.

Investor Relations - USA
KCSA Strategic Communications
Valter Pinto, Managing Director
Scott Eckstein, VP of Market Intelligence
email: BlockChainGroup@KCSA.com
D: +1-212-896-1254

Investor Relations - Canada
Skanderbeg Capital Advisors
Adam Ross
email: adam@skanderbegcapital.com 
P: +1-604-687-7130

BIG Investor Relations 
Anthony Zelen
D: +1-778-819-8705
email: anthony@blockchaingroup.io

For more information and to register to BIG’s mailing list, please visit our website at https://www.blockchaingroup.io/. Follow @blocksearch on Twitter.  Or visit SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements, which include completion of the search technology software and other matters. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding-looking wording such as “may”, “expect”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “believe” and “continue” or the negative thereof or similar variations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur. These assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the state of the economy in general and capital markets in particular, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of BIG. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because BIG can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from BIG’s expectations include, consumer sentiment towards BIG’s products and Blockchain technology generally, technology failures, competition, and failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, BIG disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additionally, BIG undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made by, third parties in respect of the matters discussed above.