Summary
The Department of Justice has charged three individuals for stealing over $400 million from the collapsed FTX exchange through a SIM-swapping attack. The three individuals carried out the scams from March 2021 to April 2023, targeting multiple victims. The indictment charges them with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and identity theft. The perpetrators gained access to an FTX employee’s AT&T account, unlocking FTX’s online accounts and allegedly stealing $400 million worth of cryptocurrency. FTX had previously filed for bankruptcy in November 2022 after accusations of profiteering from client funds.
Key Points
1. The Department of Justice charged three individuals for stealing over $400 million from a company, believed to be the collapsed FTX exchange, through a SIM-swapping attack.
2. The three individuals, Robert Powell, Emily Hernandez, and Carter Rohn, conducted SIM-swapping scams targeting multiple victims from March 2021 to April 2023.
3. The perpetrators gained access to an FTX employee’s AT&T account using fraudulent identities, unlocking FTX’s online accounts and allegedly stealing $400 million worth of cryptocurrency.