Travis West
Bitcoiner, combat veteran, investigator.
Alleged operator of nodes.
Contact
Email: travis@west.report
Email: tcwest@proton.me
LinkedIn: travis-west-010309
Nostr: npub18hqtw4vjsg6s0a0kyhugn5mt5fs8fp64pd8nsv66vqld5qg090pqe75kus
Signal: traviswest.21
Telegram: @traviswest
GitHub: SerWest
Education
I promote Bitcoin, liberty, and private property rights. Interested in coordinating? Send me an email!
Training and educating others is something I enjoy; I'm good at communicating complex ideas/processes to the technical and non-technical, with humor sprinkled in.
I will happily talk Bitcoin, cybercrime, and crypoasset investigations with individuals or teams. I'm a former detective that specializated in cybercrime and cryptocurrency/virtual asset cases. I did nerdy things to catch (alleged) thieves, scammers, violent offenders, and/or online predators. I have delivered several presentations at conferences, including at the 2023 RISS Western Region Human Trafficking Summit and at the 2024 Financial Crimes and Digital Evidence Conference.
I have experience training others on cybercrime investigations, blockchain analysis, and online undercover operations.
My LinkedIn profile is updated with my experience and certifications. My Curriculum Vitae, a summary of qualifications, and a spreadsheet with the breakdown of my training hours is available upon request.
I have experience testifying about cybercrime, fraud, cryptocurrencies/virtual assets, interviewing, and interrogating.
Certification summary below:
| Certifications |
|---|
| Certified Cyber Crime Investigator (National White Collar Crime Center) |
| Certified Cyber Investigator (Carnegie Mellon University) |
| Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) |
| Advanced Crypto Investigator (TRM-ACI) |
| Certified Investigator (TRM-CI) |
| Crypto Fundamentals Certification (TRM-CFC) |
| Digital Forensics and Cryptocurrency (TRM-DFC) |
| Crypto Compliance Specialist (TRM-CCS) |
| Certified Cryptocurrency Forensic Investigator (CCFI) |
| Certified Bitcoin Professional (CBP) |
| Advanced Police Officer Certification (OR, USA) |
| Child Forensic Interviewer (OCFIT) |
Media
| Bitcoin Audible Episode 100 - Privacy is a Crime with Travis West | "Today we dive into an amazing chat around the complexities and shifts in law enforcement in a world with Bitcoin, as well as breaking down the nuances and difficulties in both the defense and prosecution of the Samourai Wallet case. Travis, previously a detective who found his speciality in cybercrime and fraud, requiring extensive knowledge and interaction with Bitcoin and blockchain analytics, presents a unique insight into how things may develop moving forward and where we should be wary to defend our privacy and independence. Don't miss this incredible discussion!" |
| Samourai Wallet case | A report I wrote about the implications of the Samourai Wallet case and how it is not good for privacy or code. |
| Doxxed Through VPNs: Former Cybercrime Detective | I was interviewed by Simplified Privacy and this article was a result of it. The discussion was primarily about identifying people that are using Virtual Private Networks. |
Resources
| Bitcoin Guide | A comprehensive guide and collection of resources on Bitcoin, covering technical topics for beginners or experts. |
| Bitcoin Diploma 2025 | The 2025 version of Mi Primer Bitcoin's flagship 10-week program, free to access. It is a deep dive into Bitcoin's history, technology, and its global impact. |
| Bitcoin for Beginners (2023) | A YouTube video by Matthew Kratter from Bitcoin University. This video is one of the better introductory videos on Bitcoin, short and not overly technical. |
| KYCNOT.ME | A project that lists and rates exchanges to purchase bitcoin with no KYC. Also a great resource to learn about privacy-oriented services. |
| Simplified Privacy | A library of resources on the topic of digital privacy. They offer a VPN/privacy-focused tool as well. |
| Peer-to-Peer Rights Fund | A fund dedicated to the defense of non-custodial tools and their developers from regulatory overreach. |
| Bitcoin Veterans | A non-profit organization dedicated to freedom, financial sovereignty, and purpose for military veterans. |
Referrals
| Swan Bitcoin | A referral link to a Bitcoin financial services company that will help you save in bitcoin, learn more about bitcoin, and much more. Requires KYC. |
| Strike | A referral link to an app for your phone that lets you buy bitcoin, send USD to other users, and more. Can be used as a custodial lightning/BTC wallet. Requires KYC. |
| River | A referral link to a Bitcoin financial services company that will let you buy bitcoin and/or mining machines. Can be used as a custodial lightning/BTC wallet. Requires KYC. |
| The Bitcoin Company | A referral link to a Bitcoin company that lets you purchase a variety of gift cards with bitcoin, with discounts and rewards. Requires email. |
| Micro-Seed | A quality tool that allows you to stamp tiny numbers or letters into a steel or titanium washer. Perfect for securing your seed phrase discreetly. Use discount code "TRAVIS10" for 10% off. |
Bitcoin Tools
| Android Wallets | Blue Wallet, AQUA Wallet |
| iOS Wallets | Blue Wallet, AQUA Wallet |
| Desktop Wallets | Bitcoin Core, Electrum, Specter, Sparrow Wallet |
| Hardware Wallets | ColdCard, Jade |
| Lightning Wallets | Phoenix, Zeus, AQUA Wallet |
| Multi-Sig | Electrum, Sparrow Wallet |
| Collaborative Multi-Sig | Swan, Casa, Unchained Capital |
| Block Explorers | Mempool.Space |
Nostr Tools
| Android Clients | Amethyst, Primal |
| iOS Clients | Damus, Primal |
| Desktop Clients | Snort, Primal |