Central Michigan University’s legacy extends to a pivotal Smithsonian exhibit showcasing the CMU Action C Logo on a laptop used in groundbreaking criminal investigations.
Smithsonian Exhibit Highlights CMU-Alumni’s Role in Fighting Cybercrime
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A laptop featuring Central Michigan University’s iconic Action C logo has been unveiled as part of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History’s new exhibit on the evolution of money. The laptop, used by former Internal Revenue Service (IRS) special agent Chris Janczewski, highlights the critical role of digital tools in modern criminal investigations.
Janczewski, a 2006 CMU graduate, used the laptop during high-profile cases, including a $3.6 billion cryptocurrency theft that became the subject of Netflix’s Biggest Heist Ever. The exhibit explores how money evolved from ancient tablets to cryptocurrencies, with Janczewski’s laptop symbolizing the intersection of technology and law enforcement.
From CMU to Fighting Global Crime
Janczewski’s journey began during a coed accounting fraternity event at CMU, where an FBI agent inspired him to pursue a career in government work. After graduating with an accounting degree, he joined the IRS as a tax auditor before transitioning to criminal investigations.
“Going to Central Michigan was a pivotal point in my life,” said Janczewski. “IRS-CI took it to another level. I love how this laptop was able to help bring my career as a special agent full-circle with my time at CMU.”
Janczewski’s IRS-issued laptop gained its unique CMU flair in 2015, when his wife purchased an Action C sticker as a Christmas gift. Normally, IRS policy prohibits personal decorations on equipment, but exceptions were made for undercover work. The Action C sticker over the “C” key symbolized the lasting impact of CMU on Janczewski’s career.
Breaking New Ground in Cybercrime Investigations
Janczewski’s work with the IRS’s Criminal Investigations Division (IRS-CI) focused on financial crimes linked to cyber threats. He played a key role in cases targeting terrorist financing for groups like Hamas and Al-Qaeda, as well as uncovering multi-million-dollar thefts orchestrated by North Korean hackers.
In 2015, Janczewski helped establish the IRS-CI’s cybercrimes unit, applying cutting-edge forensic techniques to track cryptocurrency transactions. By 2022, he and his team dismantled a major cryptocurrency theft operation in Hong Kong. The stolen Bitcoin had grown from $71 million to $3.6 billion in value.
“Follow the money,” Janczewski recalled as his guiding principle in investigations. His meticulous efforts contributed to international law enforcement successes, including the rescue of 25 children and the arrest of 340 people connected to a global child trafficking ring.
Rare Coins, Revolutionary Money, and a Historic Laptop Featured in Smithsonian’s Updated Exhibit
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of its acclaimed exhibit, “The Value of Money,” with a slate of new additions and refreshed content. The exhibit, located in the museum’s Innovation Wing, explores 4,000 years of monetary history through more than 300 objects from the National Numismatic Collection, one of the Smithsonian’s oldest and most prestigious collections.
Among the updates is an IRS agent’s laptop with the CMU Action C logo was used in the historic 2022 seizure of $3.6 billion in stolen cryptocurrency, the largest financial confiscation in U.S. history. The laptop underscores the evolving role of technology in modern monetary systems. The exhibit also features Chinese coins from the Howard F. Bowker Collection, highlighting China’s rich monetary history, and a rotating display of “Revolutionary Money,” which showcases early American currency, including colonial coins, beaver pelts, and Continental banknotes.
Honoring a Career of Service
Janczewski’s career achievements earned him the Meritorious Service Award from the U.S. Treasury in 2019, recognizing his contributions to groundbreaking cases featured in the book Tracers in the Dark. His work has reshaped how financial crime is tackled and highlighted the importance of collaboration between agencies like the FBI and IRS-CI.
The Smithsonian exhibit, which will remain on display for at least a decade, is a testament to his dedication. The laptop is both a tool of justice and a symbol of CMU’s enduring influence.
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