Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.
01
Evaluation factor
Method and rigour
35% weight
Check how they trace funds: UTXO clustering heuristics, change address identification, peel chains, EVM trace parsing, and whether they verify Chainalysis or TRM attributions against raw block data.
Evidence to listen for
Follows and can justify an established methodology
Understands contamination, bias, and chain of custody as they apply to the field
Knows the limits of their techniques and says so
Documents procedure so results are reproducible and defensible
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Careless method; unaware of contamination, bias, or procedural integrity.
2
Needs Improvement
Knows procedures but applies them inconsistently; gaps in documentation.
3
Satisfactory
Sound standard practice; less certain outside familiar techniques.
4
Very Good
Rigorous and well documented; understands the limits of each method.
5
Excellent
Names specific heuristics and their failure modes, cross-checks vendor attribution against explorers or node RPC before asserting wallet ownership.
02
Evaluation factor
Real casework
25% weight
Ask for real matters worked: ransomware payment tracing, exchange hacks, darknet vendor cases, seizure support, or SAR-driven reviews, including volumes traced and subpoena or VASP requests issued.
Evidence to listen for
Brings specific cases, sites, or projects rather than general description
States their own role and what they personally handled
Can describe an ambiguous or degraded case and how they proceeded
Knows what happened to the work afterwards
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
No hands-on casework; experience is entirely academic.
2
Needs Improvement
Limited exposure; cannot describe their own contribution clearly.
3
Satisfactory
Real casework with adequate detail; ownership sometimes vague.
4
Very Good
Specific cases with clear personal scope and outcomes.
5
Excellent
Recounts named case types with amounts traced, exchanges subpoenaed, and outcomes such as freezes, seizures, or filed reports.
03
Evaluation factor
Interpretation and judgement
25% weight
Probe judgement where trails break: Tornado Cash or CoinJoin obfuscation, cross-chain bridge hops, Monero exits, and how they express confidence rather than overclaiming attribution.
Evidence to listen for
Separates what the evidence shows from what they infer
States confidence levels and what would change their conclusion
Comfortable saying the result is inconclusive
Handles pressure to reach a preferred conclusion without bending
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Overstates findings; no separation of evidence from inference.
2
Needs Improvement
Reaches conclusions the evidence does not support; uneasy with uncertainty.
3
Satisfactory
Reasonable judgement; qualifies findings when prompted.
4
Very Good
Clearly separates evidence from inference and states confidence unprompted.
5
Excellent
Distinguishes proven flows from inference, states confidence levels explicitly, and explains when mixer demixing claims should not be relied on.
04
Evaluation factor
Reporting and testimony
15% weight
Assess written and courtroom output: affidavits supporting search warrants, chain of custody for wallet and seed phrase evidence, exhibit-ready graphs, and any deposition or expert testimony experience.
Evidence to listen for
Writes findings that a non-specialist can act on
Has presented or defended work to an external audience: court, client, review board, publication
Withstands challenge without overclaiming or retreating
Keeps records that hold up to scrutiny
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Cannot communicate findings; records would not withstand review.
2
Needs Improvement
Reporting is unclear or incomplete; avoids external scrutiny.
3
Satisfactory
Adequate reports; limited experience defending work externally.
4
Very Good
Clear reporting and real experience presenting to an external audience.
5
Excellent
Produces exhibits a non-technical juror follows, documents custody rigorously, and has withstood cross-examination or defence expert challenge.
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