Brooklyn Man Charged in Phishing Scheme That Swiped $16 Million From Coinbase Users
Ronald Spektor, a 23-year-old Brooklyn resident, has been charged with stealing $16 million in cryptocurrency from about 100 Coinbase users through a phishing and social engineering scheme. Using the alias “lolimfeelingevil,” he posed as a Coinbase representative, convincing victims their digital assets were threatened and directing them to transfer funds to his own accounts. Spektor allegedly laundered the stolen cryptocurrency through mixers, swapping services, and crypto gambling websites. He faces 31 criminal charges, including grand larceny and money laundering. Authorities have seized approximately $105,000 in cash and $400,000 in digital assets and continue efforts to recover more. Spektor reportedly bragged about his crimes on Telegram, admitting to losing $6 million gambling. Coinbase cooperated with prosecutors, sharing information to help identify Spektor and trace funds. Separately, Coinbase recently faced criticism and reimbursed users following a major data breach. Spektor’s bail was set at $500,000, with the judge rejecting his father as bond poster due to concerns about the source of funds.
