Two Suspects Arrested In Bitcoin Theft Case Worth IDR 4 Trillion In The US

Two suspects were arrested in the Bitcoin theft case worth IDR 4 trillion in the US (Photo; Doc. Forbes)

JAKARTA - The United States was again rocked by a cybercrime scandal involving the massive theft of cryptocurrencies. Two suspects, Malone Lam (20) from Miami and Jeandiel Serrano (21) from Los Angeles, were charged with stealing more than 4,100 Bitcoins, with a value of 260 million US Dollars (approximately IDR 4 trillion). Both were also accused of embezzling money complicatedly to hide their tracks.

According to the District Attorney's Office of Columbia, the suspects used advanced techniques to access accounts of victims' crypto assets in Washington, DC. After successfully gaining access, they transferred the stolen Bitcoin to their own accounts.

To disguise the identity and flow of money, Lam and Serrano used various tools such as crypto mixers, wallets of peel chains,' and virtual private networks (VPNs). In this way, they managed to cover their digital footprint, making it difficult for authorities to track lost funds.

Bitcoin, which was stolen, was used by the two perpetrators to fund a luxurious lifestyle. According to reports, they spent money from the proceeds of crime on vacation abroad, visited nightclubs, and bought luxury cars, watches, jewelry, and designer bags. Lam and Serrano also rented luxury homes in Los Angeles and Miami, which became the center of their activities.

This case received widespread attention due to the large-scale theft and complex money laundering techniques. At the time the theft occurred, the Bitcoins taken were worth about 230 million US Dollars (approximately IDR 3.5 trillion). However, with the price of Bitcoin soaring to 62,855 US Dollars (approximately IDR 967 million) per coin, the value of stolen assets now stands at 260 million US Dollars (approximately IDR 4 trillion), adding to the urgency for authorities to handle the case.