The US Department of Justice has charged twelve new suspects for involvement in large -scale cryptocrime with the value of $ 263 million. The case revolves, among other things, the theft of more than 4,100 bitcoin in August 2024. These were from a creditor of the bankrupt Cryptoplatform Genesis. The charges also include money laundering, cyber attacks and physical burglaries.
The new names have been added to the earlier case against main suspect Malone Lam, who was already charged on September 19, 2024. It is striking that Jeandiel Serrano, a suspect from the original indictment, no longer occurs in the modified version.
Arrests and suspects located in Dubai
Part of the group has since been arrested. Two others are still being sought and would probably be in Dubai. Most suspects are from California and between the ages of 18 to 22. They used Aliases online as “Goth Ferrari” and “The Accountant”. The group is said to have originated in October 2023 from a group of friends who played online games together, but quickly developed into an organized criminal gang that dealt with digital extortion.
The suspects are accused of hacking databases, social engineering attacks, and even physically penetrating homes to steal hardware wallets with crypto currency. They used advanced methods to conceal their identity and transactions, such as VPN services and cryptomixer protocols.
Smart money laundering practices: ‘Peel Chains’
The group applied so -called ‘Peel Chains’ to trace stolen crypto more difficult. In addition, coins are spread over dozens of wallets, where small quantities are ‘peeled’. This method made the investigation work considerably more difficult.
The biggest loot, good for more than $ 230 million, was obtained on August 18, 2024. On that day, Lam managed to capture more than 4,100 Bitcoin through a refined digital attack. He is also accused of hacking iCloud accounts and following victims. Another suspect, Marlon Ferro, would even have physically invaded a victim’s home to steal crypto equipment.
Crypto for luxury: cars, clubs and private jets
The suspects spent the captured crypto on a luxurious lifestyle. They rented homes and private aircraft with false documents and spent exorbitant amounts in night clubs – up to $ 500,000 a evening. They also purchased 28 luxury cars worth a total of $ 3.8 million, and spent large amounts on exclusive watches, handbags and designer clothing.
This striking lifestyle caught the attention of authorities, certainly because of the advanced methods with which the group tried to erase their digital traces. The investigation is still ongoing, and new arrests are not excluded.
Source: https://newsbit.nl/twaalf-verdachten-aangeklaagd-voor-cryptocriminaliteit-van-263-miljoen/
