A 30-year-old Indian man and a group of his accomplices created a fake website for the American cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase in 2021. Between June 2021 and the end of 2023, at least 542 people used the site and tried to deposit over $9.5 million into the exchange, but the funds went into the pockets of the attackers.
American law enforcement agencies were able to identify Chirag Tomar due to the fact that he used e-mail under his real name to communicate with his accomplices. Tomar used the same email address to obtain a tourist visa to the United States to meet his relatives.
Tomar kept a spreadsheet with a list of victims and stolen amounts, and also used user documents obtained through the fictitious site to create accounts on Binance and other cryptocurrency exchanges.
Law enforcement agencies note that Tomar used illegally obtained funds for a luxurious lifestyle, buying expensive watches and Porsche and Lamborghini cars. He also traveled to London, Dubai and Thailand.
Chirag Tomar is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He faces up to 20 years in prison for each charge.
Earlier it was reported that a court on the Thai island of Phuket sentenced five Russian citizens to two years in prison for stealing cryptocurrency from a Russian couple.
Source: Bits
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