BlockBeats News, on May 16, according to CNBC, federal prosecutors in Washington D.C. have charged 13 men with conspiring to carry out a widespread scheme aimed at identifying victims who hold large amounts of cryptocurrency, stealing those assets, and then laundering the proceeds.
According to an alternative indictment obtained by CNBC on Thursday, the cryptocurrency stolen from victims in this case is worth over $265 million. The group of 13 includes both Americans and foreigners, who have splurged lavishly after stealing the crypto assets, including spending $9 million on luxury cars, $4 million on nightclubs, and leasing multiple properties.
One of the defendants is 20-year-old Singaporean Malone Lam, who was previously arrested and charged in connection with one of the largest thefts, which involved stealing approximately $245 million worth of Bitcoin from a man in Washington D.C. in mid-August. The indictment claims that Lam used the money to purchase over 30 luxury cars, including a Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes G-Class, a Rolls Royce, a McLaren, and a Pagani. He is also accused of buying a watch worth $2 million.
