In a stunning case of cybercrime, two individuals have been arrested in connection with a $243 million cryptocurrency heist that targeted a Genesis creditor. The cybercriminals, identified as Malone Iam (alias Greavys) and Jeandiel Serrano (alias Box), were taken into custody in Miami and Los Angeles following a complex investigation that revealed their involvement in a sophisticated social engineering attack.
The heist occurred on August 19, 2024, when the criminals executed a meticulously planned operation. Along with Veer Chetal (alias Wiz), they used fake phone numbers to impersonate Google Support and tricked the victim into resetting their two-factor authentication (2FA) and sharing their private keys. This gave the attackers access to the victim’s cryptocurrency wallet, from which they stole Bitcoin worth hundreds of millions.
How the Attack Unfolded
According to security researcher ZachXBT, who shared detailed findings on X (formerly Twitter), the cybercriminals carried out the theft through a series of carefully coordinated steps:
- Impersonation of Google Support: The attackers used fake phone numbers to impersonate Google Support, gaining access to the victim’s personal accounts.
- Deceptive Calls to Gemini Support: By falsely claiming to have hacked the victim’s account, they convinced Gemini support to reset the 2FA, allowing them to transfer funds to a compromised wallet.
- Private Key Theft: The attackers used the remote desktop tool AnyDesk to view the victim’s screen and obtain their private keys from Bitcoin Core.
Three major transactions were recorded during the attack:
- A transfer of 59.34 BTC occurred at 1:48 AM UTC, with the hash “e747b963…”
- A second transfer of 14.88 BTC took place at 2:30 AM UTC, with the hash “7c7ebed7…”
- The final and largest transaction, involving 4064 BTC, occurred at 4:05 AM UTC, identified by the hash “4b277ba2…”
Investigation and Arrests
The investigation, led by ZachXBT and supported by advanced blockchain analysis, social media monitoring, and open-source intelligence (OSINT), uncovered key details about the perpetrators. Malone Iam (Greavys) was found flaunting his stolen wealth, spending millions on luxury cars and extravagant parties in Los Angeles and Miami. He frequently posted about his lavish lifestyle on Discord and Instagram, helping investigators confirm his identity and track his movements.
The cybercriminals also used platforms like eXch and Thorswap to launder the stolen funds. However, slip-ups during screen-sharing sessions by Wiz and another individual (alias Light/Dark) helped reveal their identities.
With the assistance of Cryptoforensic Investigators, zeroShadow, and the Binance Security Team, over $9 million of the stolen funds have been frozen, and $500,000 has already been returned to the victim.
Both Box and Greavys were arrested last evening, with law enforcement likely seizing additional assets during the raids. Investigations continue, with efforts to track down Wiz and recover more stolen funds.
This case highlights the growing threat of social engineering attacks in the cryptocurrency world, where a single misstep can result in the loss of millions.
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