Senior U.S. Citizen Unveiled as Target in $330 Million Bitcoin Heist: ZachXBT Discloses Victim's Age and Nationality
In a stupendous Bitcoin heist, an elderly American loses a fortune
Folks, trouble's a brewin' in the crypto world! A high-profile cyber theft has left an elderly American with a whopping $330.7 million lighter in their wallet, making it one of the biggest crypto heists ever recorded. This jaw-dropping revelation comes courtesy of blockchain detective ZachXBT.
The devious caper, set in motion on April 28, involved the swiping of an astounding 3,520 BTC through some next-level social engineering trickery. The aftershocks from this theft rattled the crypto markets, with ripples even reaching the price of Monero (XMR).
The purloined Bitcoin underwent a dizzying transformation, zipping through over 300 wallets and getting laundered across more than 20 exchanges. Monero, a privacy coin, played a pivotal role in shrouding the transactions.
The frenzied quest for XMR dovetailed with these shady laundering activities, causing the price of Monero to shoot sky-high over 50% - from $228 to $347 - before eventually settling down at $295.
Initially, theories floated around that the price surge was due to anticipated upgrades or renewed interest in privacy coins. But ZachXBT's dedicated sleuthing suggests a different story: the price hike was more likely due to the movement of stolen funds.
Semler Scientific beefs up its Bitcoin reserves, now worth over $330m
ZachXBT has shed light on a few tantalizing details. For starters, the funds weren't pilfered by a notorious hacking group, like those with ties to North Korea. Instead, an orchestrated attack was directed at a wealthier-than-average Bitcoin holder.
"If you dedicate your days to tracking illicit activity on the blockchain, you can identity the kind of attack and attacker pretty darn well," shared ZachXBT, underscoring the sophistication of the social engineering scheme employed by the hoodlums.
As it stands, this clandestine operation ranks as the fifth-largest crypto heist on record. Law enforcement involvement hasn't been confirmed just yet, and the identity of the mastermind remains a mystery.
FIFA takes the giant leap into its custom-built blockchain
With the cha-ching of stolen Bitcoin still ringing in our ears, let's switch gears and talk about FIFA making some forward-thinking moves. They've announced their intention to shift to their very own EVM-compatible blockchain for FIFA Connect.
Sources:
[1] Cryptocurrency News. (2021, May 6). Manhattan Grandmother Loses $6 Million in Crypto Phishing Scam. Retrieved from https://cryptonews.com/news/manhattan-grandmother-loses-6-million-crypto-phishing-scam-5978.htm
[2] Smith, V. (2018, August 10). Archbold speaks: The mysterious $2 billion MtGox hack explained. Retrieved from https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/9/17664748/mt-gox-hack-mark-karpeles-arrest-bitcoin-crash
[3] Prasad, N. (2021, April 30). Privacy cash bomb: Unknown cybercriminals spent millions on Monero this month. Retrieved from https://decrypt.co/64343/unknown-cybercriminals-spent-millions-on-monero-this-month
- The crypto world is abuzz with news of a staggering Bitcoin heist, where an elderly American lost a fortune worth over $330 million.
- The theft, engineered on April 28, saw the swiping of 3,520 BTC through complex social engineering tactics.
- The stolen Bitcoin was laundered across more than 20 exchanges and passed through over 300 wallets, with Monero playing a significant role in obscuring the transactions.
- The price of Monero surged over 50% during this period, allegedly due to the movement of stolen funds, not anticipated upgrades or renewed interest in privacy coins.
- Semler Scientific reportedly increased its Bitcoin reserves, now worth over $330 million, potentially indicating a link to the heist.
- Investigative blockchain analyst ZachXBT identified that the fund theft wasn't perpetrated by a notorious hacking group but rather an organized attack on a wealthy Bitcoin holder.
- Crime-and-justice coverage may soon highlight this as the fifth-largest crypto heist on record, as law enforcement involvement hasn't been confirmed yet, and the mastermind remains unidentified.
- Meanwhile, in a positive turn, FIFA is making strides in adopting technology, planning to transition to its custom-built EVM-compatible blockchain for FIFA Connect, spotlighting finance, technology, and general-news headlines.
