Blockchain Bandit Resurfaces, Moves $172M in Stolen Ether After Two Years

The “Blockchain Bandit” moved $172M ETH after two years, exposing weak private keys and sparking crypto security concerns.

The infamous “Blockchain Bandit” is back in action, moving a massive $172 million in Ether (ETH) after a two-year break. On December 30, the hacker transferred 51,000 ETH from 10 different wallets to a single multi-signature address, consolidating the stolen funds. The transfers happened in batches of 5,000 ETH between 8:54 pm and 9:18 pm UTC.

The funds had been untouched since January 2023, when the Bandit also moved 470 Bitcoin (BTC). This hacker first made waves by using a method called “Ethercombing,” where they exploited weak private keys by guessing them with faulty code and random number generators. In total, the Bandit managed to crack 732 private keys, linked to over 49,000 transactions, according to blockchain investigator ZachXBT.

Experts in crypto security are very vocal on their concerns about the risks associated with vulnerable private key creation. Weaker random number generators can make it easy for hackers to copy keys and access wallets. The rise in bitcoin thefts coincides with the Blockchain Bandit’s comeback, with billions stolen in the last year alone.

To stop these assaults that target centralized exchanges and custodial platforms, experts are encouraging cryptocurrency users and platforms to bolster security with better key management, cold wallets, and regular system audits.

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Crypto Crime Boss Caught in India After Running Epic Scams

Summary: A major scammer from Uttar Pradesh has been nabbed in Cambodia for running a massive crypto hustle. His crew tricked thousands of people across South Asia, mixing fraud, human trafficking, and cyber slavery.

Crypto Kingpin’s Global Scam

Devendra Pratap Mourya, a UP native, was the mastermind behind a gang of 40+ cyber crooks in Cambodia. The mastermind behind this scummy act used fake apps and scams to steal from people worldwide, turning the stolen money into crypto. From scamming folks to using mule accounts and pre-paid SIMs, this crew was all about the digital grind, pretending to offer dream tech jobs that were actually a trap.

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From Dream Jobs to a Nightmare

Victims thought they were landing legit IT gigs, only to end up stuck in Cambodia with their passports taken away. Trapped in a cycle of forced cybercrime, many were pushed into scams they never signed up for. One fake app, Indira Securities, made Rs 67.7 lakh pretending to be a legit trading platform.

Scam Empire Exposed

Thanks to the investigation by Odisha police, this international crime ring got exposed. With Mourya behind bars, authorities are aiming to take down the whole crypto-fueled scam operation, shedding light on how digital currencies are powering these shady online hustles.

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Sonic Foundation Unveils $SONIC Token to Power Scalable Blockchain Ecosystem

Sonic drops $SONIC token. This time its blending Solana tech and HyperGrid scaling for next-gen blockchain gaming, staking, and Web3 growth.



Sonic Foundation just unveiled $SONIC, a utility token designed to supercharge its blockchain ecosystem. The Sonic HyperGrid architecture fuses Solana’s high-speed blockchain with horizontal scaling to solve major issues like scalability, costs, and customizability—making it a game-changer for Web3 apps and on-chain gaming. Its just faster transactions, cheaper fees, and seamless integration.

Sonic SVM, the first Solana Virtual Machine chain, takes scalability to the next level by syncing states almost instantly. $SONIC fuels this ecosystem, acting as a payment method, staking reward, and governance tool for validators and users.

Here’s the deal: 2.4 billion $SONIC tokens will power Sonic’s growth. At launch (January 7, 2025), 15% of the supply hits the market. Distribution? Community and dApps get 30%, HyperGrid rewards 20%, early backers 23%, and the rest goes to the foundation and advisors. Plus, an upcoming 7% airdrop rewards early contributors, with last-minute entries open via SonicX.

Roadmap vibes? Q4 this year kicks off the Sonic SVM launch and $SONIC token drop. Q1 next year sees mainnet bridges and NFT integrations, while Q2 expands staking and gaming tools.

Sonic’s goal? Bridge Web2 to Web3, redefine blockchain gaming, and scale blockchain tech for the masses.

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Trader Scores $634K Jackpot on Kekius Maximus After Musk’s Wild Move

Summary:
One lucky trader turned a $4.3K bet on memecoin Kekius Maximus ($KM) into a jaw-dropping $634K after Elon Musk’s Twitter update sent the coin skyrocketing by 17,000%.

Musk’s Meme Magic Sparks $KM Frenzy

It all kicked off when Elon Musk changed his Twitter name to “Kekius Maximus” and swapped his profile pic to a mash-up of Pepe the Frog and Gladiator’s Maximus. Within hours, Kekius Maximus ($KM) shot up over 500%, making it the new darling of the memecoin scene. The frenzy didn’t stop there spinoff Kekius-themed tokens popped up, some gaining over 200% within mere hours.

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From $4K to $634K in Nine Hours

In a crazy turn of events, a trader who bought 18.15 million $KM for just $4,360 woke up to a portfolio worth $634K. Was it pure luck or insider intel? That’s the big question. Musk’s influence in the crypto world is undeniable, but this wild ride is a reminder of just how unpredictable—and chaotic—the memecoin market can be.

The Bigger Picture

While $KM memes are hilarious, they also spotlight crypto’s rollercoaster risks. Some cheer the hype, others whisper insider trading. Either way, Kekius Maximus proves the meme economy is as unstoppable as Musk’s Twitter antics.

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Hong Kong Wants to Flex BTC Reserves: Crypto Glow-Up Incoming?

Summary:
Hong Kong lawmaker Wu Jiexhuang says adding Bitcoin to the region’s reserves could be an absolute power move , boosting its crypto cred and pulling in investors. Is Hong Kong gearing up for a crypto takeover?

Hong Kong Wants That Crypto Clout
Wu Jiexhuang, a Legislative Council member, is pitching a bold idea: stash some Bitcoin in Hong Kong’s fiscal reserves. Inspired by countries like El Salvador and Bhutan already vibing with BTC, Jiexhuang thinks this could give Hong Kong major main character energy in the crypto world. He’s also keeping an eye on the U.S., where President-elect Donald Trump is hyping Bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset. Wu sees a chance for Hong Kong to flex its “one country, two systems” edge and snag that first-mover advantage.

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BTC Reserves Could Be a Power Play
Jiexhuang says stacking Bitcoin isn’t just about looking cool it’s a strategic move to pull in top talent, secure huge investments, and stabilize finances. He very strongly believes this could reduce market chaos, making Bitcoin less wild and more mainstream. If Hong Kong takes the leap, it could spark a global trend of governments YOLO-ing into Bitcoin, shaking up the traditional financial vibe.

Hong Kong’s Crypto Era Is Loading
Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s regulators are prepping crypto rules to treat digital assets like the OG financial products. With Bitcoin trending worldwide, this could be Hong Kong’s ticket to becoming a digital finance MVP.

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Solana Co-Founder Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Misuse of Ex-Wife’s SOL

Short Summary:
Solana co-founder Stephen Akridge is caught in a messy legal battle with his ex-wife Elisa Rossi, who claims he swiped millions in staking rewards from her crypto wallet.

A Crypto Drama Unfolds
Stephen Akridge, co-founder of Solana, is under fire as his ex-wife Elisa Rossi sues him for allegedly stealing “millions of dollars” in SOL staking rewards. According to court filings in San Francisco, Rossi accuses Akridge of exploiting her lack of crypto knowledge to siphon off rewards she earned through staking—a process that generates passive income for crypto holders. She claims Akridge’s insider knowledge of blockchain tech gave him an unfair advantage in this high-stakes dispute.

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High-Stakes Tokens, Low Trust
While the lawsuit keeps the exact value of the disputed SOL tokens under wraps, Rossi describes the sums as “significant.” She’s also requested parts of the complaint remain confidential. This legal clash puts a spotlight on the risks of shared digital asset management, especially when one party holds all the expertise cards.

SOL: Bouncing Back, Despite the Drama
Meanwhile, Solana itself is thriving, reclaiming its status as a top crypto contender despite past turbulence linked to FTX’s meltdown. The lawsuit might be a headline-grabber, but SOL’s recent surge proves the coin is still a fan favorite in the crypto-verse.

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Smart $PEPE Trader Bags $11.7M During Market Crash

Summary: While many traders as well as crypto enthusiasts where skeptical about $PEPE market dip, one messiah of crypto managed to make an absolutely huge amount of $11.7M by timing their moves like a pro.

The Big Brain Play

Imagine selling all your $PEPE at the perfect moment. That’s exactly what this trader did on December 19, during the market crash. According to Lookonchain, $PEPE had peaked at an all-time high of $0.000028 on December 9, with a market cap of $11.8 billion. But when the hype train hit the brakes, prices tanked 50% in just two weeks.

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Stacking Bags Like a Pro

After making all that money and especially cashing out at the right time, this trader didn’t stop there. They’ve been quietly stacking up $PEPE tokens again, amassing a jaw-dropping 1.42 trillion coins. At current market prices, that stash is worth a solid $24.5M. It’s like they’re playing 4D chess while everyone else is stuck on checkers.

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Lessons From the $PEPE King

Timing is everything, especially in the meme coin jungle. While others panic-sold or HODLed through the dip, this trader read the room and turned chaos into straight cash.

Scam Token Linked to Squid Game Tanks 99% on Base

A fake Squid Game token on Base crashed 99%, scamming investors with a pump-and-dump tied to show hype.

A new scam token tied to the hit show Squid Game just popped up on the Base blockchain—and it’s already a disaster. In under 9 hours, the token dropped a massive 99%, wiping out all its value. The whole thing was a pump-and-dump scam where the creator held most of the token supply, hyping it up to pump the price and then selling off at the top, leaving investors in the dust.

The token, called SQUID, had no actual connection to the show, even though scammers used the buzz from Squid Game Season 2 to make it look legit. The hype came at the perfect time, with the show’s latest episode featuring a character running a failed crypto project, adding fuel to the fire. Investors rushed in, but once the token hit its peak, it all came crashing down.

As of this writing, the token’s price is only $0.0111255, or almost nothing. The Squid Game storyline may have been used as a backdrop to give this scam the appearance of legitimacy, but it was something more sinister and merely a means for scammers to profit quickly while causing others to suffer significant losses.

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Hamster DAO Greenlights Layer-2 Blockchain on TON

Hamster Kombat DAO is hyped, voting to build a Layer-2 on TON. Big moves, $1M bounty, and Web3 dominance ahead!

Hamster Kombat is leveling up! Its DAO just voted to roll out a fresh Layer-2 blockchain on TON (The Open Network). This move isn’t just tech talk; it’s about giving the Hamster Kombat community the boost it’s been asking for. With one of the biggest squads in Web3, the team’s gearing up to drop some serious innovation and make waves in the blockchain space.

This news hits right after the DAO approved its first-ever proposal: a series of lit events for token holders featuring a massive $1 million bounty pool. Yeah, you read that right—a milly! The vibes in the community are pure fire as they look forward to what’s next.

The development team has already started working on the Layer-2 blockchain and is fulfilling their pledge to provide DAO with their strategy details shortly. This update is more about maintaining Hamster Kombat’s position as a pioneer in Web3 and decentralized gaming than it is about showing off technical prowess.

So fasten your seatbelt if you’re a member of the Hamster Kombat family! Bigger, better, and bolder movements in the crypto realm are the focus of the upcoming chapter. It’s going to be amazing, so stay tuned.

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Russia Gears Up with AI to Take Down Crypto Crimes

Summary: Russia might have stopped crypto mining in some regions but Russia’s central bank is rolling out an AI-powered platform to sniff out shady crypto moves and illegal cash-outs, aiming to block unregulated OTC services and stop criminals in their tracks.

AI’s Coming for the Crypto Bad Guys

Russia is stepping up its game with a new AI system designed to outsmart illegal crypto operations. Teaming up with Rosfinmonitoring and other banks, the central bank wants to put a stop to sketchy transactions that exploit crypto-to-fiat OTC services. This platform will perform an act like a digital watchdog, tracking shady activity in real time and flagging accounts used for money laundering, drug trades, and unregulated crypto exchanges.

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Farewell to Mules and Droppers

The AI system will target individuals known as ‘Mules’ and ‘Droppers’ who lend out their bank accounts and conduct shady stuff. Unlike old-school KYC systems that react to anonymous transactions, this platform will use real-time data and advanced threat profiling to assess risks account by account. It’s like taking KYC and putting it on steroids.

Big Problems, Bigger Solutions

Last year alone, $584 million was funneled through shady accounts, and current monitoring systems can’t keep up since they only focus on individual banks. To level up, Russia’s building a centralized database for better info-sharing across institutions. No launch date yet, but it’s clear Russia’s coming for those crypto criminals with AI leading the charge.

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