$263M Crypto Heist Uncovered: 12 Charged in High-Stakes Bitcoin Theft and Luxury Spending Spree

May 16, 2025 12:00 pm Cryptocurrency 199

Key Takeaways:

12 additional individuals face charges in a $263M crypto theft conspiracy spanning the U.S. and abroad

Stolen funds were laundered through mixers, shell companies, and converted into luxury goods and services

A single victim lost over 4,100 BTC, worth $230M, in a high-level social engineering scam

Federal prosecutors have unsealed a new indictment that adds 12 defendants to an already sprawling cybercriminal case involving one of the largest cryptocurrency theft rings ever prosecuted in the U.S. The group, operating from California to Dubai, is accused of stealing over $263 million in digital assets using a mix of hacking, fraud, and real-world home burglaries.