Crypto Investigator Uncovers Suspect in Bored Ape Heist
Law enforcement apprehended the incorrect individual in connection with a 2022 scam that extracted over $1 million in Bored Ape non-fungible tokens (NFTs), according to cybersecurity researcher ZachXBT.
In a post on May 9 X platform, ZachXBT revealed that he discovered the wallet responsible for the scam and traced it back to an X account that has since been removed.
However, in 2023, law enforcement detained Sam Curry, a former security researcher at Yuga Labs, at an airport as a suspect, ZachXBT stated. Yuga Labs is the organization behind the Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT collection.
“It’s disheartening to see a security researcher detained while more promising leads on a potential threat actor remain,” ZachXBT commented.
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Anonymous Attacker
In December 2022, an unidentified attacker stole 14 Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs, which were valued at approximately $86,000 each at that time, based on information from CoinSlam.
Law enforcement later “incorrectly reviewed logs from OpenSea that included [Curry’s] home IP address, leading to a mistaken identification as the suspect,” ZachXBT detailed.
“In reality, during his security role at Yuga, [Curry] was investigating the theft and utilized a private key embedded in the JavaScript of the website by the perpetrator,” ZachXBT clarified.
ZachXBT stated that he utilized forensic methods, including tracing the flow of funds through Tornado, an Ethereum mixer, to pinpoint an individual he suggests might be behind the 2022 theft.
He urged law enforcement to “request all data related to [the individual’s] social media accounts” and explore on-chain transactions connected to their supposed wallet.
Launched in 2021, Bored Ape Yacht Club has become one of the most prestigious NFT collections, boasting a total market capitalization exceeding $300 million, according to data from CoinGecko.
As of May 9, Bored Ape NFTs are trading at approximately $30,000 each, according to the NFT marketplace OpenSea. The prices of individual NFTs may differ based on unique attributes.
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