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Brothers arrested for allegedly exploiting the Ethereum blockchain to steal $25 million in 12 seconds
Last updated: May 15, 2024 10:03 pm EDT | 2 minute read
In a landmark case that must be the first of its kind, two brothers, both graduates of the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), have been arrested and accused of exploiting a vulnerability in the Ethereum blockchain.
Their alleged actions led to a massive theft of $25 million in 12 seconds. Anton Peraire-Bueno, 24, and James Peraire-Bueno, 28, risk fraud and money laundering charges.
A well-planned exploit of the Ethereum blockchain by the two brothers
Two brothers arrested for hacking the Ethereum blockchain and stealing $25 million in cryptocurrencies
🔗: https://t.co/rY4No6YUrm pic.twitter.com/2Mlb3zIdpo
— US Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) May 15, 2024
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan filed the charges, describing the scheme as meticulously planned and executed with the precision of a high-stakes digital robbery.
“The brothers, who studied computer science and mathematics at one of the world’s most prestigious universities, allegedly used their specialized skills and education to tamper with and manipulate the protocols relied on by millions of Ethereum users around the world,” said Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.
The Peraire-Bueno brothers were arrested on Tuesday, while Anton was taken into custody in Boston and James in New York. They are expected to appear in federal court Wednesday afternoon. The brothers’ lawyers have not yet commented on the allegations.
According to the US Department of Justice, the brothers created validators on the Ethereum network, which are intended to help order transactions and facilitate profitable trades through bots. However, they allegedly used their validators to deceive traders and grant access to pending transactions. This manipulation allowed them to alter the flow of electronic currency, effectively stealing the cryptocurrency. They then moved the stolen funds through complex transactions to obscure their origins.
For several months the brothers meticulously planned their operation. They studied the trading patterns of Ethereum bots and established shell companies and identified cryptocurrency exchanges with lax “know your customer” (KYC) procedures to launder their ill-gotten gains.
Their thoroughness also extended to research into extradition procedures, highlighting the depth of their preparation.
Stolen funds will increase this year
The robbery is just the tip of the iceberg of illicitly obtained cryptocurrencies in recent years. UN sanctions monitors recently reported this North Korea laundered $147.5 million in stolen cryptocurrencies through the Tornado Cash platform only in the month of March.
A classified document submitted to the United Nations Security Council’s sanctions committee revealed that North Korean suspects have been linked to 97 cyberattacks against crypto firms over the past seven years, totaling around $3.6 billion.
According to PeckShield, approximately $100 million in stolen cryptocurrency funds were successfully recovered in March, which represent 52.8% of the total hacked attacks. Despite initial losses of $187.29 million in over 30 hacking incidents, the Munchable incident it was particularly notable. Following negotiations, the hacker returned the stolen funds, significantly contributing to the recovered sum.
Meanwhile, a recent A $71 million wallet impersonation scam led to an investor transferring 97% of his assets to a decoy wallet address. The hacker quickly converted the stolen Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) into approximately 23,000 ETH and after six days began distributing the funds across multiple wallets.
In the first quarter of 2024, total losses from hacking and fraudulent activities reached approximately $336.3 million, down from $437.5 million in the same period in 2023. There were 46 hacking incidents in the quarter hacking and 15 cases of fraudulent activity.
Ethereum was the most targeted blockchain, followed by the BNB chain, with both networks accounting for 73% of the total losses. Top incidents include the $81.7 million Orbit Bridge exploit and the $62 million Munchables hack, with a notable recovery of $73.9 million (22%) from seven exploits. Hacking incidents accounted for 95.6% of losses, while scams and robberies accounted for 4.4%.
News
How Ether Spot ETF Approval Could Impact Crypto Prices: CNBC Crypto World
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CNBC Crypto World features the latest news and daily trading updates from the digital currency markets and gives viewers a glimpse of what’s to come with high-profile interviews, explainers and unique stories from the ever-changing cryptocurrency industry. On today’s show, Ledn Chief Investment Officer John Glover weighs in on what’s driving cryptocurrency prices right now and how the potential approval of spot ether ETFs could impact markets.
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Miners’ ‘Capitulation’ Signals Bitcoin Price May Have Bottomed Out: CryptoQuant
According to CryptoQuant, blockchain data shows signs that the Bitcoin mining industry is “capitulating,” a likely precursor to Bitcoin hitting a local price bottom before reaching new highs.
CryptoQuant analyzed metrics for miners, who are responsible for securing the Bitcoin network in exchange for newly minted BTC. As outlined in the market intelligence platform’s Wednesday report, multiple signs of capitulation have emerged over the past month, during which Bitcoin’s price has fallen 13% from $68,791 to $59,603.
One such sign includes a significant drop in Bitcoin’s hash rate, the total computing power that backs Bitcoin. After hitting a record high of 623 exashashes per second (EH/s) on April 27, the hash rate has fallen 7.7% to 576 EH/s, its lowest level in four months.
“Historically, extreme hash rate drawdowns have been associated with price bottoms,” CryptoQuant wrote. In particular, the 7.7% drawdown is reminiscent of an equivalent hash rate drawdown in December 2022, when Bitcoin’s price bottomed at $16,000 before rallying over 300% over the next 15 months.
This latest hash rate drop follows Bitcoin’s fourth cyclical “halving” event in April, which cut the number of coins paid out to miners in half. According to CryptoQuant’s Miner Profit/Loss Sustainability Indicator, this has left miners “mostly extremely underpaid” since April 20, forcing many to shut down mining machines that have now become unprofitable.
CrypotoQuant said that miners faced a 63% drop in daily revenue after the halving, when both Bitcoin block rewards and transaction fee revenues were much higher.
During this time, Bitcoin miners were seen moving coins from their on-chain wallets at a faster rate than usual, indicating that they may be selling their BTC reserves“Daily miner outflows reached their highest volume since May 21,” the company wrote.
Among the sales of Bitcoin miners, whales and national governmentsBitcoin’s price drop in June also hurt Bitcoin’s “hash price,” a metric of Bitcoin Miner Profitability per unit of computing power.
“Average mining revenue per hash (hash price) continues to hover near all-time lows,” CryptoQuant wrote. “Hashprice stands at $0.049 per EH/s, just above the all-time low hashprice of $0.045 reached on May 1st.”
By Ryan-Ozawa.
News
US Congressman French Hill Doubles Down on Trump’s Pro-Crypto Stance
US lawmaker French Hill has noted that Donald Trump will take a more pro-crypto approach than the current administration. The run-up to the presidential election has seen cryptocurrencies become an issue with lawmakers making huge statements ahead of the polls. Donald Trump has also been reaching out to the industry, making a pro-crypto case.
French Hill Backs Trump’s Pro-Crypto Stance
Republican Congressman French Hill has explained the type of cryptocurrency regulatory framework he believes Donald Trump could adopt in the country. In a recent interview with CNBC, French Hill said that the recently passed FIT21 bill is the type of regulatory framework the Trump administration will adopt in the sector.
#FIT21 passed the House with 71 Democratic votes, it’s exactly the kind of digital asset regulatory framework former President Trump would support if re-elected.
See more on @SquawkCNBC🔽 photo.twitter.com/ceTmU4LApU
— French Hill (@RepFrenchHill) July 3, 2024
THE FIT21 Bill It is intended to protect investors and consumers in the market by establishing clear rules and powers for the various regulators in the sector. According to Hill, Trump will adopt it because it directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on the specific regulatory framework needed in the market.
“… for people who are innovating and starting a crypto token, a related business, custody of those assets, how to ensure consumer protection, so I think that framework is the right approach and that’s what I’m going to recommend to the President to pass, which is that we have not passed it between now and the end of this Congress.”
He also called Trump an innovative and pro-growth president in financial matters.
Cryptocurrency is going mainstream
This election cycle saw the cryptocurrency industry taking a place in mainstream issues following broader adoption across demographics. From candidates moving toward enthusiasts to recent pro-Congress legislation, cryptocurrencies have become a rallying point for officials. The U.S. regulatory landscape has been criticized for stifling growth due to frequent SEC LawsuitsThis has led executives to push for pro-cryptocurrency laws and raise money for pro-industry candidates.
Read also: Federal Reserve Predicts “AI Will Be Deflationary” to Stimulate Economy
David is a financial news contributor with 4 years of experience in Blockchain and cryptocurrency. He is interested in learning about emerging technologies and has an eye for breaking news. Keeping up to date with trends, David has written in several niches including regulation, partnerships, cryptocurrency, stocks, NFTs, etc. Away from the financial markets, David enjoys cycling and horseback riding.
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US Court Orders Sam Ikkurty to Pay $84 Million for Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme
A federal court has ordered Jafia LLC and its owner, Sam Ikkurty, to pay nearly $84 million to cryptocurrency investors after ruling that the company was operating a Ponzi scheme.
The ruling, issued by Judge Mary Rowland in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, follows a lawsuit filed by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in 2022 after the fund collapsed.
Judge Rowland found that Ikkurty, based in Portland, Oregon, did numerous false claims on his company’s hedge funds.
These included misleading statements about his trading experience and the promise of high and stable profits. Instead, Ikkurty used funds from new investors to pay off previous investors, a hallmark of a Ponzi scheme.
The Ponzi Scheme
The court found that Ikkurty misappropriated investment funds for personal use without the knowledge of the investors. These funds were used for personal use and were reported as Fraudulent Investmentscausing significant financial losses to customers.
This non-transparent operation violated Transparency Commission regulations, which led to the imposition of a hefty fine to compensate defrauded investors and restore some public confidence in the financial system.
Judge Rowland emphasized that fraudulent activity such as this violates the law and undermines the integrity of modern financial markets. The $84 million award seeks to address the financial harm inflicted on investors and reinforce the importance of legal compliance in cryptocurrency trading.
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