- Ronald Spektor, 23, sentenced to 4–12 years for stealing nearly $16 million from roughly 100 Coinbase users
- He posed as a Coinbase representative, warning victims their assets were at risk from a Hacker, then directed them to wallets he controlled
- The sentence was imposed over prosecutors’ objection; Spektor must forfeit over $500,000 in assets and pay nearly $16 million in restitution
A 23-year-old Brooklyn man has been sentenced to four to 12 years in prison for orchestrating a sophisticated cryptocurrency scam that stole nearly $16 million from roughly 100 Coinbase users, according to Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.
Ronald Spektor posed as a Coinbase representative, contacting victims and warning them their assets were exposed to a hacker. He persuaded them to move their holdings to wallets he controlled, the New York Times reported.
The scheme began with victims receiving a flood of phone alerts, followed by an email promising a call from the exchange under the alias James Wilson. Victims transferred their crypto to what they believed was a secure wallet, but Spektor drained the funds.
He pleaded guilty on September 2 to all 31 counts, including first-degree money laundering and grand larceny. Justice Danny Chun imposed the sentence over prosecutors’ objection, rejecting their request for seven to 21 years.
Investigators traced the scheme using blockchain analysis, transaction records, and digital forensics. His home IP address was linked to multiple wallets connected to stolen crypto.
Independent blockchain investigator ZachXBT had named Spektor in a November 2024 thread. Prosecutors interviewed 70 victims, and his phone contained 12 wallets tied to at least 140 deposits from 90 people.
Under the handle @lolimfeelingevil, Spektor ran a Telegram channel called “Blockchain enemies” where he boasted about the thefts. He also recruited others to stage fake Hacking attempts against victims.
The losses totaled $15,944,000, with some victims losing $1 million or more. Spektor must forfeit cash, crypto, and property valued at over $500,000 and pay restitution of nearly $16 million.
Gonzalez said his office would “follow the digital trail wherever it leads.” He emphasized that legitimate companies like Coinbase never call customers or ask them to move crypto to a safe wallet.
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