Merkle Science Strengthens US Law Enforcement Team: Richard Reinhard and Ryan Gray to Spearhead US Law Enforcement Expansion

Merkle Science
October 18, 2024

Merkle Science is pleased to announce the addition of Richard Reinhardt and Ryan Gray to lead its expansion into U.S. federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Richard Reinhardt joins Merkle Science as Lead Investigator and Ryan Gray joins the company as Account Executive. These strategic additions reinforce Merkle Science's renewed commitment to serving Public Sector customers.

Richard Reinhardt: A Veteran in Tackling Complex Crypto Crime


Richard Reinhardt joins Merkle Science to lead investigations with national security agencies. Before Merkle Science, Richard spent two decades in the U.S. Treasury (IRS-Criminal Investigations) and DEA where he combated financial and cybercrime with a special emphasis on digital asset cases.

Leading the New York Field Office Cyber Investigations Unit, Richard Reinhardt distinguished himself by spearheading IRS-CI's token fraud and tax investigations and prosecuting significant U.S.-based peer-to-peer exchanges on platforms such as LocalBitcoins, LocalCryptos, and Agoradesk.  His leadership, experience in landmark cases like the OneCoin scam, and his initiative in establishing specialized cyber units cement Richard's status as a formidable force in the ever-evolving battle against crypto crime.

Richard Reinhardt's expertise in handling cryptocurrencies like Tether and Tron is particularly critical, as these platforms have become the new focal point for criminals laundering crypto, a marked shift away from Bitcoin. 

Ryan Gray: Architect of Public Sector Growth


Ryan Gray joins Merkle Science to lead sales with state and local agencies. His experience as a police officer in Virginia coupled with several years of sales experience at Clearview AI and Iron Mountain will be crucial in driving the company’s growth in the public sector market.  Ryan's focus on developing strategic go-to-market plans will leverage his deep understanding of law enforcement challenges, ensuring our solutions resonate powerfully within this critical sector.

“We are delighted to welcome Richard and Ryan to our team," said Mriganka Pattnaik, CEO of Merkle Science. “Richard’s extensive background in digital assets investigations and his successes in digital asset seizures, including one of the largest token scams in history, will be key in propelling our investigative efforts. Ryan’s innovative mindset, energy, and empathy for state and local agencies will complement Richard’s expertise in providing support to the segment. Their combined expertise aligns seamlessly with our goals, enhancing our ability to navigate and mitigate the complexities of crypto crime.”