Crypto Expert Witness for Blockchain Tracing Cases
I'm Zack Coffing, an independent blockchain forensic investigator. I trace cryptocurrency from the addresses and records in your case to the exchanges where it landed, document every step in court-ready exhibits, and testify to the findings.
What I do in a case
Attorneys bring me in when a case turns on where cryptocurrency went. I work from what the case already has, such as exchange statements, subpoenaed records, known wallet addresses, or transaction hashes, and follow the funds on-chain from there.
- Trace funds forward or backward across wallets, chains, swaps, and bridges until they reach an exchange or stop.
- Reconcile wallets to the coin. Every inflow matched to an outflow, with opening and ending balances proven.
- Identify exchange endpoints, so counsel knows exactly which exchange and which deposits to subpoena for account records.
- Write the expert report and exhibits, then testify at deposition, arbitration, or trial.
The work runs in both directions: finding crypto the other side is hiding, or proving your client isn't hiding any. In my 2026 arbitration the job was the second one: I reconciled the client's wallets to their final balances and documented where the funds went, the factual groundwork a dissipation claim turns on.
What the work product looks like
This is a redacted page from a real 2026 matter. It shows one Ethereum wallet, the exchanges that funded it, and the exchanges it paid out to.
A full report typically includes:
- Fund-flow charts like the one above, one per wallet or cluster.
- An exhibit index in which each trace is its own numbered exhibit with a plain-language summary. One recent matter ran to 38 exhibits across Ethereum, Bitcoin, Solana, XRP, Cardano, and Polkadot wallets.
- Running-balance reconciliations showing every coin in and out of a wallet over time.
- Block explorer captures for every key figure.
- A methodology section covering sources, tools, assumptions, and limits, written so a judge or arbitrator can follow it.
What I need from you
- Exchange statements or records, produced in discovery or subpoenaed.
- Known wallet addresses or transaction hashes, even a single one.
- The question you need answered, such as where the funds went, whether a balance was hidden, or whether a transfer was dissipation.
- Deadlines for disclosure, the Rule 26 expert report, and hearings.
Blockchain data proves how funds moved, not who controls a wallet. Identity comes from exchange account records, which is why my reports name the deposit addresses and transactions to subpoena. For background on how this fits a litigation plan, see what a blockchain forensic expert witness does.
What I don't do
- No recovery promises. I trace and document. Getting funds back is a legal process run by attorneys, courts, and law enforcement. Anyone who guarantees recovery is a red flag.
- No wallet hunting from a name alone. I need an address, a hash, or a record to start from.
- Crypto only. Cash, bank accounts, metals, and other assets belong with a forensic accountant.
- No password or private-key cracking.
What attorneys ask before hiring me
Attorneys vetting a crypto expert tend to ask the same questions. Here are straight answers.
- Have you testified?
- Yes. My tracing and expert testimony were accepted in a 2026 divorce arbitration, prevailing opposite a top-10 national forensic accounting practice.
- Who actually does the work?
- I do. Wallet Witness is a one-person practice, so the investigator who traces your case is the same expert who signs the report and testifies. Nothing is handed off to junior analysts.
- What tools do you use?
- Breadcrumbs for fund-flow mapping, public block explorers such as Etherscan to verify each transaction, and analysis tools I've built myself. Every conclusion is checked against the public blockchain, so nothing rests on a black-box score.
- Can I see an example of your work?
- Yes. The redacted exhibit above comes from a real 2026 matter, and the full report structure is described under what the work product looks like.
- Can you help with discovery?
- Yes. I identify the exchanges and deposit addresses to subpoena and help counsel scope the records request, so discovery goes after the accounts that matter.
- Do you check for conflicts?
- Yes. I run a conflict check before reviewing any case materials.
How an engagement works
Free 30-minute case review
You describe the matter and what you have. I tell you whether the chain data can answer your question, and if it can't, I'll say so.
Written scope and hour estimate
Before any billable work, you get the questions I'll answer, the data I'll need, and an estimate of hours.
Analysis and report
Tracing, reconciliation, exhibits, and the written report.
Testimony
Deposition, arbitration hearing, or trial, including preparation with counsel.
Fees are hourly and never contingent on the outcome. For typical market ranges, see what a crypto expert witness costs.
Book a Free 30-Minute Case Review
Frequently asked questions
How much does a crypto expert witness cost?
It depends on how many wallets, chains, and transactions the question involves. I bill hourly, the first 30-minute case review is free, and you get a written scope and hour estimate before any billable work starts. For typical market ranges, see crypto expert witness cost.
Can blockchain tracing prove who owns a wallet?
Not on its own. The blockchain proves how funds moved between addresses, not who controls them. Identity comes from exchange account records, which is why my reports name the exchange deposit addresses and transactions counsel should subpoena.
Will blockchain tracing evidence hold up in court?
Admissibility is the court's decision. What I control is the method: every step is documented, reproducible, and tied to a public transaction hash that anyone can check on a block explorer. My tracing and testimony were accepted in a 2026 divorce arbitration, prevailing opposite a top-10 national forensic accounting practice.
Do you work for plaintiffs or defendants?
Both. The work runs in either direction: finding cryptocurrency the other side is hiding, or proving your client is not hiding any. My fee is hourly and never depends on the outcome.
What do you need to get started?
Whatever the case already has: exchange statements or subpoenaed records, known wallet addresses, transaction hashes, and the question you need answered. I cannot find wallets from a person's name alone, but one address or one exchange statement is usually enough to start.
Can you recover stolen cryptocurrency?
No, and no honest investigator promises that. I trace where funds went and document it so attorneys and law enforcement can act through subpoenas, freezes, and court orders. Any service that guarantees recovery should be treated as a red flag.
Zack Coffing
Founder of Wallet Witness. Independent blockchain forensic investigator, in crypto since 2017, with 20+ cases investigated. Full background.