CONGRATULATIONS to our 2023 SV Distinguished Alumni - Chris Janczewski
After graduating from Central Michigan University in 2006 with a degree in accounting, Chris Janczewski spent 16 years working for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Chris spent most of his time with the IRS as a special agent investigating international money laundering cases related to terrorism, state sponsored thefts by North Korea, darknet markets, and cryptocurrency. Between 2019 and 2023, Chris was featured in the Wall Street Journal, WIRED magazine, a best-selling book, and other outlets for his work in uncovering and shutting down the darknet’s largest child exploitation website.
During his career, Chris has briefed the White House, members of the President’s cabinet, members of the U.S. Congress, the United Nations, Harvard Law School, and others. He has also been quoted as a subject matter expert on live news broadcasts and international print media.
Chris was honored to receive the 2019 Meritorious Service Award from Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin. In 2020, Chris again was recognized by Secretary Mnuchin with the Secretary's Honor award. In addition, Chris was awarded the 2020 IRS Chief’s Investigative Excellence Award and was twice a finalist (in 2020 and 2022) for the Samuel J. Hymen Service to America Medals.
In 2022, Chris left the IRS to join the Fintech company TRM Labs where he leads a team of investigators on multiple continents supporting major law enforcement agencies around the world to investigate financial crimes. Chris's last investigation as a special agent led to the seizure of over $3.6 billion dollars, the largest in U.S. government history.
After moving multiple times for the government, Chris, his wife Jill, son Dayton, and daughter Sloane, have settled in Grand Rapids.