How a simple Discord Call led to a $230M crypto theft

$230M crypto theft

A group of young scammers orchestrated one of the most audacious heists in digital history. That started with a simple Discord call.

[{"selector":"#anim-1877ffe2-d665-4e0c-b3d1-5883e6b9440d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-33ad3b48-1ddb-43a2-84aa-a5d8babf0e06","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ef10622d-c35a-48e5-ae12-a2421052f609","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2d469d9b-e5d1-4c74-8240-7decb767583b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, -24.999998604368997%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] The Perfect Con Malone Lamb, a 20 years old & his friends plan was masterfully simple. Posing as representatives from Google support & Genesis Crypto Exchange to loot an unsuspecting crypto billionaire

[{"selector":"#anim-31971b5b-c85d-4f04-8753-914e4b53f959 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-19.379844961240313%, -2.722640407506949%) scale(1.3875968992248062)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-10b6d88d-6c9b-4bc9-ad39-ed39c196b835","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-212270e5-1b83-4c50-b99b-f6ffe9fb728b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8c897805-b894-4802-a72a-321f8fd89fcc","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Money Laundering 101 With 4,000 Bitcoin in their control, the young criminals faced their next challenge: making their illicit gains usable. But in their haste to cover their tracks, they left behind digital breadcrumbs

[{"selector":"#anim-3683abc0-c9d7-4687-bc96-46fb5ff7d679 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, -24.96393954517135%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-017f65b1-ffd9-4e38-87e8-facab14d066f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c2e69e71-8dd5-42a0-849c-697a39d8142c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3c477aaa-bf8b-405b-94a7-f66df13f7ebb","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Living the High Life A Miami mansion, costing $10.5 million, garage filled with Lamborghinis, Ferraris & a Rolls-Royce. A $50,000 jacket, gifting $27,000 Birkin bags to strangers & making it rain thousands in tips for club DJs.

[{"selector":"#anim-ae3435c4-533a-467a-9705-706e79d648e0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 18.539663454828705%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ed765e82-8c84-4dbb-ae0d-b235ce0658a3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c9c1a676-9c21-4a5b-9bde-0085b4796600","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-46b99485-a0d4-42cd-9922-14f0b76b745d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] The Big Mistake But as any seasoned player knows, the house always wins. Blockchain detective ZachXBT began connecting the dots, while FBI agents quietly built their case

[{"selector":"#anim-8e3e701d-fc8e-4c8e-ab0b-84a9d9795724 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-1.7118966887480767%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aeef36ed-1bcc-41af-a955-5823cec12b52","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0f0cf55f-9209-4ea9-9f24-1f52551154a3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e933bf07-fe4b-40ee-a939-29d14121ab53","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":100,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Lesson Learned: Crime Doesn’t Pay As Malone & his crew face decades behind bars, their story serves as a cautionary tale that the greatest threat isn’t always technological; it’s human nature itself. Learn more