Fake Steam games drained $220K in crypto | 21-year-old student arrested by the FBI, 8,000 infected
TL;DR
The FBI arrested 21-year-old Florida student Zyaire Wilkins for uploading malware-laden fake games to Steam. Over two years the scheme infected ~8,000 victims, hacked ~80 crypto wallets, and stole at least $220,000 in crypto.
The FBI arrested 21-year-old Florida student Zyaire Wilkins on Tuesday, accusing him of uploading malware-laden fake video games to Steam. Once victims downloaded and installed them, the malware infected the PC, stole passwords and data, and drained crypto wallets. On Wednesday prosecutors charged him and several unnamed co-conspirators with hacking crimes.
Over the past two years, Wilkins and his group published multiple malware-carrying games on Steam — titled BlockBlasters, Dashverse, Lampy, Lunara and PirateFi — promoted via Discord, LinkedIn and Telegram. Using the malware, they infected about 8,000 victims, hacked roughly 80 crypto wallets, and stole at least $220,000 worth of cryptocurrency. Wilkins's online handle was Sibel.eth.
The FBI seized a MacBook, several phones, devices and digital wallets from his home. One cooperating co-conspirator said they "worked with other people to raise money to launch and market the malicious games in return for a share of the stolen crypto." After his arrest, Wilkins refused to speak or answer any questions.
Eight thousand PCs, eighty wallets, five games sitting on the store shelf — the operation ran for two years, until agents carried his wallets out the door with everything else.
via The Verge / TechCrunch
Over the past two years, Wilkins and his group published multiple malware-carrying games on Steam — titled BlockBlasters, Dashverse, Lampy, Lunara and PirateFi — promoted via Discord, LinkedIn and Telegram. Using the malware, they infected about 8,000 victims, hacked roughly 80 crypto wallets, and stole at least $220,000 worth of cryptocurrency. Wilkins's online handle was Sibel.eth.
The FBI seized a MacBook, several phones, devices and digital wallets from his home. One cooperating co-conspirator said they "worked with other people to raise money to launch and market the malicious games in return for a share of the stolen crypto." After his arrest, Wilkins refused to speak or answer any questions.
Eight thousand PCs, eighty wallets, five games sitting on the store shelf — the operation ran for two years, until agents carried his wallets out the door with everything else.
via The Verge / TechCrunch
