Exploring the Legal and Business Impact of Digital Currencies

Dr. Izzy Nelken is the President and Founder of Super Computer Consulting, Inc. He taught at the Master of Science in Financial Mathematics (MSFM) program in the Mathematics Department at the University of Chicago for over 15 years and has published and taught numerous courses and seminars on topics including bitcoin, cryptocurrencies and blockchain.

Izzy was member of the Chicago Board Options Exchange (Cboe) Product Development Committee, where he contributed to the introduction of the Cboe’s bitcoin futures. He serves as an Advisory Board Member of KnectIQ (a cybersecurity startup) and is Chicago City Co-Leader for BitAngels (a platform for cryptocurrency and blockchain projects).

Mr. Dowd is an attorney and also provides subject matter expert consulting services related to the foreign exchange, futures, cryptocurrency, and metals markets. He holds a B.A. in Economics from the College of the Holy Cross, a J.D. from the DePaul University College of Law, and is admitted to practice law in Illinois. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Global Digital Asset & Cryptocurrency Association, a self-regulatory association serving the digital asset industry. He has previously held senior foreign exchange positions at Soci?t? G?n?rale and JP Morgan Chase.

Mr. Spencer is the founding member of Spencer & Associates, a law firm focused on the cryptocurrency industry, as well as traditional businesses and investors focused on cryptocurrency strategies in their portfolios. Specifically, Mr. Spencer has served as General Counsel for BlockCap, the largest cryptocurrency mining company in North America, and for Coinsource, one of the largest operators of Bitcon teller machines in the United States. Under Mr. Spencer’s leadership, Coinsource received the required licenses to operate in 40 states and several foriegn jurisdictions. Coinsource was the ninth company in the United States to obtain the New York Digital Currency Business License (“BitLicense”).

Mr. Spencer has handled numerous cryptocurrency-related representations for clients, including prosecution and defense of alleged violations of cryptocurrency laws and regulations, assisting with obtaining various licenses, overseeing forensic accounting investigations of stolen or hacked cryptocurrencies after security breaches, and drafting policies and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable laws. Mr. Spencer is credited by law enforcement as acting as the whistleblower on two, major cryptocurrency schemes that were subsequently indicted and prosecuted. He is a popular speaker at cryptocurrency conventions, business events, and business schools, having presented at the New York Federal Reserve, the Dallas Federal Reserve, the Texas Bankers Association, the Banker Association of Puerto Rico, the University of Oklahoma, and Southern Methodist University, among others.

From 2000 to 2010, Mr. Spencer served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Texas. He specialized in securities fraud, financial fraud, and money laundering prosecutions, and indicted more than 100 federal, white-collar cases. The Attorney General personally awarded Mr. Spencer with the John Marshall Award, one of the highest awards presented by the Justice Department.

Mr. Spencer previously was a partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. He graduated from Amherst College and the University of Texas Law School. He has been married to Mary McClendon Spencer for 22 years, and has two boys, ages 19 and 17.

Dr. Collin Starkweather is an economist and technology expert who provides expert services and support for high-profile, complex litigation, investigations, regulatory and other matters. He specializes in technology and financial markets and competition economics, with clients including leading multinational technology, financial, and law firms. He has also worked as a software engineer and architect and managed technology development at three successful high-tech startup companies. He publishes and speaks frequently on topics including cryptocurrencies and blockchain, AI and machine learning, and financial markets.