crypto crime

Bybit said on Sunday it froze $42.89 million of the hacked funds thanks to the efforts of multiple parties and returned to a 1:1 backing of the Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) held in custody, days after the shocking $1.4 billion exploit. What Happened: Bybit announced via X that it was successful in...

In one of the most significant cryptocurrency crime cases to date, Ilya Lichtenstein, who orchestrated the theft of 120,000 bitcoin from Bitfinex in 2016, was sentenced to five years in prison. The stolen Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), worth $71 million at the time, is now valued at over $7.6 billion....

The German State Criminal Police (LKA) has dismissed reports claiming OneCoin founder Ruja Ignatova was murdered, suggesting the notorious “Crypto Queen” – responsible for a $4 billion cryptocurrency fraud – may be alive and hiding in South Africa. What Happened: Ignatova,...

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested two people suspected of stealing and laundering over $230 million in Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC). What Happened: Malone Lam and Jeandiel Serrano were taken into custody on Wednesday night, according to a press release by the U.S. Department of...

Authorities have arrested two individuals involved in a sophisticated $243 million cryptocurrency heist targeting a Genesis creditor. What Happened: The arrests were made after an intensive investigation into a social engineering scheme carried out by a group of cybercriminals, which included...

The value of digital assets stolen through hacks and other cybercrime has skyrocketed 84.4% in 2024, with over $1.58 billion worth of cryptocurrency being stolen through July, according to a new report. What Happened: According to Chainalysis, while overall illicit activity in the cryptocurrency...

Editor’s note: The story has been updated with a request for comment from NovaTech Ltd. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has leveled serious allegations against NovaTech Ltd., its principals, and a group of promoters for orchestrating a fraudulent scheme that defrauded over 200,...

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has sounded the alarm on a rising trend of scammers impersonating cryptocurrency exchange employees to defraud unsuspecting victims. What Happened: According to the FBI, the scam typically unfolds with an unsolicited call or message from individuals...

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged Nader Al-Naji, the founder of the BitClout blockchain protocol, with orchestrating a fraudulent crypto asset scheme involving more than $257 million. What Happened: The SEC’s complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the...

Wyoming-based cryptocurrency company Debt Box is currently at the center of a $400 million controversy involving alleged kidnapping and asset seizure. What Happened: An SEC case against Debt Box, which accused the company of offering unregistered digital assets, was dismissed in March after a...

WazirX Vice President Rajagopal Menon on Thursday described as a “force majeure event beyond our control,” the cyber attack on one of its multisignature wallets resulted in a loss exceeding $230 million. What Happened: In statement to Benzinga, Menon stated that the attack targeted a...

Indian cryptocurrency exchange WazirX has reportedly been hacked, resulting in losses exceeding $230 million. What Happened: The incident, revealed by blockchain investigator ZachXBT on Thursday, identifies the main theft address as 0x04…1a88. The attacker currently holds over $100 million...

Fresh data by on-chain analytics firm Chainalysis found that nine figures worth of illicit funds have found their way into the digital asset space. What Happened: Nearly $100 billion in illegal funds have circulated through the cryptocurrency market since 2019, according to Bloomberg, citing a...

The U.S. Department of State has announced a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Ruja Ignatova, a German national wanted for her role in a massive cryptocurrency fraud scheme. What Happened: The $5 million reward, authorized under the Transnational...

A chilling case out of North Carolina has shed light on a lesser-known method of stealing cryptocurrency: violent home invasions. What Happened: Remy St. Felix, 24, from Florida, was convicted of leading a gang that targeted crypto holders across several states. Unlike the typical image of a hacker...