SINGAPORE, Sept 20 — A 20-year-old Singaporean based in the United States was charged yesterday with conspiring to steal and launder US$230 million (RM976 million) in cryptocurrency.
Singapore-based CNA reported that Malone Lam, 20, who resides in Miami and Jeandiel Serrano, 21, from Los Angeles were charged after being arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Wednesday.
Citing the US Department of Justice, the report said the duo are accused of fraudulently obtaining over 4,100 units of Bitcoin from a victim in Washington DC.
Lam, Serrano, and others allegedly conspired to steal cryptocurrency and launder the stolen funds through exchanges and mixing services since at least August this year.
Lam had gone by online usernames “Anne Hathaway” and “$$$”, while Serrano appeared as “VesaceGod” and “@SkidStar”.
The conspirators were accused of fraudulently accessing victims’ cryptocurrency accounts and transferring the funds into their own possession.
They reportedly laundered the proceeds, before spending the money on international travel, luxury goods, and rental homes in Los Angeles and Miami.
