Story by Ethan
On December 19th, 2025, the arrest of Ronald Spektor, age 23, was announced by Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. Ronald Spektor was charged with first-degree Grand Larceny, first-degree Money Laundering, Scheme to Defraud, and 28 other unspecified related counts. The arrest and charges against Ronald Spektor were a result of an investigation handled by Assistant District Attorney Alona Katz, Chief of the District Attorney’s Virtual Currency Unit, ADA Kevin Zhen of the Frauds Bureau, Senior Virtual Currency Analyst Sam Weaver, analysts Jayden Kuprel, Chris Vellios, Paul Stenzel, and Paralegal Claire Fagan, of the Virtual Currency Unit, and the KCDA Detective Bureau and members of the Digital Evidence Lab Unit under the supervision of Chief Jingu Chong.
According to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, their Virtual Currency Unit has been investigating a Coinbase phishing scheme that stole approximately $15,944,000 from about 100 different U.S. based users. It was explained that Coinbase is a cryptocurrency exchange program that allows its users to buy, sell, and trade their digital assets with other users. Coinbase users are frequently flagged and targeted for online phishing schemes where individuals will claim to be a bank, company, or trusted representative in order to steal users’ funds and account information. These phishing scams are typically done through texts, emails, phone calls, or website links that allow the individual to gain access to information such as a user’s email address and password, Coinbase username and password, account number, etc.. Over 70 victims were interviewed during the investigation process and it was reported that an individual claiming to be a Coinbase representative would inform them that their digital assets were at risk of being stolen by an anonymous hacker, and that the assets needed to be transferred to a different wallet for security. Victims would believe they’re talking to an actual Coinbase employee, then transferring their funds into a wallet that the defendant had access to without the users’ knowledge.
It is also alleged that Ronald Spektor laundered the stolen assets by trailing them through several other crypto exchanges to turn them into “cash-out points”, then being able to convert them into cash, gift cards, wagers, and other cryptocurrency. On multiple occasions the defendant also had allegedly moved large portions of the stolen assets to gambling services and online storefronts for bets and online purchases. During the investigation multiple search warrants uncovered Ronald Spektor in possession of transaction records, blockchain analyses, and other digital and forensic evidence that allegedly was in connection to the stolen assets on Coinbase. The defendant’s IP address was also confirmed to be linked to multiple wallets that housed some of the stolen cryptocurrency. Several other accounts were revealed to be linked to Ronald Spektor from other unspecified individuals the defendant allegedly hired as social engineers and as ways to boast about the alleged criminal activity online. It was also uncovered that the defendant allegedly used the handle @lolimfeelingevil on Telegram, a messaging app with encrypted messages, in order to run a channel titled “Blockchain enemies” to brag about scams, as well as using other online platforms such as Discord for similar purposes to advertise his alleged heists. Detectives pieced together using messages from Discord that allegedly Ronald Spektor had lost $6 million worth of cryptocurrency previously to gambling while implying he’s used scamming in order to make millions of more dollars. Text messages recovered from the defendant’s phone alleged that after becoming the subject of online allegations for fraud he disposed of his current cryptocurrency wallet and purchased a replacement one.
The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office stated that the charges against Ronald Spektor are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
