CoinMarketCap: Read what our contributors have to say. This content is provided by the community. DYOR!
Hacker Pleads Guilty to $37 Million Crypto Theft
Market Musing-g

Hacker Pleads Guilty to $37 Million Crypto Theft

Altcoin Buzz
By Altcoin Buzz
Created 7 months ago, last updated 7 months ago
4 mins read

This serious crime affected nearly 600 victims and has put Light in hot water.

He could face up to 20 years in prison for each of the charges against him, which include conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Let’s explore more about this crypto theft.

How the Hack Happened
The U.S. Department of Justice announced on October 1st that Light unlawfully accessed the computer servers of an investment firm. He stole customer information and used it to take cryptocurrencies from clients who had digital assets with the company. In other words, he broke into the company’s “house” and made off with their valuable “treasures.”

After stealing the funds, Light didn’t stop there. He tried to cover his tracks by funneling the stolen money through crypto mixers and gambling websites. These are methods used to hide the source of the money and make it difficult to trace.

Light pleaded guilty on September 30, and he initially claimed he was innocent when he was charged in South Dakota on June 15, 2023. The crimes took place between 2021 and May 2023, and Light reportedly acted with at least one other person, whose identity is still unknown.

The Department of Justice sent a clear message: they are serious about catching cyber criminals. They stated, “Although this defendant tried to hide in the shadows of a cyber underworld, he was not beyond the reach of our team.” This shows that no matter how sophisticated a crime may seem, law enforcement is ready to step in and bring the bad guys to justice.

The Bigger Picture
According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, Americans lost a staggering $5.6 billion to cryptocurrency fraud in 2023. Which is a 45% increase from 2022. The FBI received around 69,000 complaints related to crypto fraud, with older adults being some of the most targeted. Investment schemes made up more than 70% of these fraud cases, while 10% involved scams like call centers and government impersonation.

Disclaimer

The information discussed by Altcoin Buzz is not financial advice. This is for educational, entertainment, and informational purposes only. Any information or strategies are thoughts and opinions relevant to the accepted levels of risk tolerance of the writer/reviewers and their risk tolerance may be different than yours. We are not responsible for any losses that you may incur as a result of any investments directly or indirectly related to the information provided. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are high-risk investments so please do your due diligence. Copyright Altcoin Buzz Pte Ltd.

0 likes
|

Other articles published on Oct 2, 2024

Market Musing-g

Hester Peirce: SEC Needs Clarity on Crypto Securities Language

U.S. SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce believes there is vagueness in how the commission defines crypto asset or digital asset securities. Peirce made this point during an interview with the Thinking ...
By Coin Edition
7 months ago
2 mins read
Market Musing-g

Top 5 Altcoins to Buy Now in October 2024 for Swift 2500% Returns

Now moving on to October 2024, Rexas Finance, XRP, PlayDoge, Base Dawgz, and Pepe Unchained make it to the traders’ altcoins to look out for the 2500% potential returns. The attention to these altc...
By CoinPedia News
7 months ago
7 mins read
Market Musing-g

Crypto Startups Survive Bear Market: 80% Still Active in 2024

Analysts from Lattice Fund found that over 80% of crypto startups that received funding in 2022 are still operating, despite market turmoil. The report, released on October 1st, highlighted the Eth...
By Coin Edition
7 months ago
2 mins read
Market Musing-g

Breaking: US SEC Enforcement Director Steps Down, Gary Gensler Next?

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has confirmed that Gurbir S. Grewal, the Director of the Division of Enforcement, will be departing the Commission on October 11, 2024. This announcemen...
By Coingape News Media
7 months ago
1 min read
Announcements

Chromia Partners with Elfa AI to Deliver AI-Driven Crypto Market Insights

Chromia has announced a strategic investment and partnership with Elfa AI, an AI-powered social platform designed to help users
By Optimisus
7 months ago
3 mins read
Market Musing-g

DTX Exchange Makes It to News Channels After $3.3M Presale Surge as ADA Whales Drop Payloads; $8....

The current session registers slumps for Cardano (ADA), simultaneously showing a massive ascent for Chainlink (LINK). While the rest of the crypto space remains full of uncertainty, DTX emerges as ...
By Times Tabloid
7 months ago
4 mins read

Join the thousands already learning crypto!

Join our free newsletter for daily crypto updates!