Bitcoin ATM operator Bitcoin Depot: Law enforcement using violent means to withdraw money from ATMs is suspected of being illegal

according to Decrypt, last week, Texas police used power tools to retrieve $32,000 from a Bitcoin ATM operated by Bitcoin Depot. Chris Ryan, the Chief Legal Officer of Bitcoin Depot, stated that the use of force by U.S. law enforcement to retrieve cash from Bitcoin ATMs is an overreach and may violate the law. Its Chief Operating Officer, Scott Buchanan, mentioned that the machine must be completely replaced because law enforcement cut open the "physical" of the self-service terminal.

A report from the FBI found that in 2024, Americans lost at least $247 million through cryptocurrency self-service terminals, a 31% increase from 2023.

Previously, it was reported that the sheriff of Jasper County, Texas, used cutting tools to forcibly dismantle a Bitcoin ATM in an attempt to recover $25,000 that local residents were scammed out of.