According to journalist Laura Shin and Blockchain data security firm Chainalysis, in 2016, a programmer, Toby Hoenisch, allegedly stole 3.6 million ETH from The DAO, worth roughly $9 billion today.
The co-founder and former CEO of a cryptocurrency startup TenX has been accused of stealing a massive Ethereum stash in The DAO hack six years ago. The stolen crypto is worth $9 to $11 billion today. However, the ex-CEO has denied the claims made by journalist Laura Shin in her article published in Forbes.
Details of the Findings
According to Shin, this finding is part of an extensive investigation for her upcoming book. The joint investigation with Chainalysis led Shin to 36-year-old Hoenisch, an Austria-native who resided in Singapore at the time of the hack.
According to their findings, Hoenisch’s company TenX participated in the ICO (initial coin offer) just a year after the hack and raised $80 million with their offer. The company also launched a token, which met the same fate as many other cryptocurrencies launched with an ICO as it failed.
Surprisingly regularly, cryptocurrency exchanges get breached. The theft of $610 million in various cryptocurrencies from the Chinese platform Poly Network in August was one of the greatest heists. At some point, the hackers had to refund the stolen money.
That’s a rare occurrence. The theft of $450 million in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies from Mt. Gox, a Japanese exchange, put the company into bankruptcy in 2014.
Individuals who are known to have a substantial amount of cryptocurrency have also been targeted. A 17-year-old Hamilton, Ontario, resident has been detained in connection with the theft of 46 million Canadian dollars in cryptocurrencies ($36.5 million), Canadian police announced Thursday. According to investigators, this is the greatest known theft of bitcoin from a single person.
Police in Hamilton, Ontario, say the victim was targeted with a SIM-swap attack, in which criminals manipulated wireless-carrier employees into duplicating the victim’s phone number, allowing them to intercept two-factor authorization requests and gain access to the victim’s account via two-factor verification. C$7 million in cryptocurrencies tied to the investigation has been confiscated so far, according to the police.
Scammers took your crypto? Here’s where you can get assistance.
Even if you keep your cryptocurrency on one of the most well-known exchanges, you may have a difficult time regaining access to your money. Coinbase, one of the most prominent exchanges, launched a live phone help line in September after apparently getting hundreds of consumer complaints about their customer care.
Customers will be able to purchase, sell, and convert digital currencies free of charge through a subscription service the business said on Wednesday. Website “Prioritized phone assistance” and “extra account protection” are also included in the service.
Even if the exchange is hacked, this won’t protect you if your personal wallet is hacked instead of the exchange itself. The decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies means that no one is in charge of them. You may feel the need to vent, but you’ll have a hard time finding somebody who cares.
Being cheated out of your money is bad enough. It’s fascinating to follow the money as it moves through the blockchain, the system that keeps track of all transactions.
ITProTV co-founder Don Pezet stated, “Your stolen monies are right in front of your eyes, but there’s no way to get them back.” A neighbor said, “It seems like someone took your automobile and parked it right in front of your home.” Don’t give up hope if anything horrible happens. A few recommendations from the professionals.
Take care of what’s left.
Make a transfer of any remaining funds from your compromised wallet, delete it, and acquire a new one.
Andrew Gunn, a senior security intelligence analyst at ZeroFox, recommends changing any passwords associated with your exchange account immediately. Try out a new mail provider. Avoid using a hacked computer to access your account by reformatting or abandoning it altogether.
Notify the authorities about the robbery.
Although it is doubtful that a formal report will aid in the recovery of stolen crypto, having a case number or paperwork is always helpful. You never know if you’ll be involved in an insurance claim or a legal case. If you have to go to court, having evidence that you took the theft seriously would assist.
Trying to find and recover crypto that has been stolen? Please click here for further information.
Call the company’s customer care hotline.
You’ll get more aid if your exchange is larger and more well-known. Gunn advises that depending on the stage of the theft, your exchange may be able to freeze your assets if you act quickly.
However, keep in mind that many exchangers aren’t obligated to assist. Several cryptocurrency exchanges are based in nations with less regulation. Some governments don’t recognize cryptocurrency as an asset, thus lowering the chances of government assistance.
