A federal judge has ruled that a young hacker who stole cryptocurrency from investors in Northern California must pay the US government nearly $5.2 million in bitcoins and return a sports car. Local media reported on the case.
The hacker, identified as Ahmad Vagaaf Khared from Tuson, Arizona, began collaborating with two accomplices in 2016, when he was just 18 years old. Their scheme involved obtaining personal contact information of cryptocurrency project leaders and investors. They then contacted mobile service providers, impersonating the legitimate owners of the targeted phone numbers. This method, known as SIM swapping, allowed them to gain control over the victims’ phone numbers, giving them access to their email and other accounts.
Using this access, Khared and his accomplices were able to hack into the victims’ cryptocurrency deposits. As a result of their criminal activities, a federal judge in San Francisco has issued a preliminary order confiscating 119.8 bitcoin (BTC) worth $5.2 million, along with 93,420 Stellar Coins (XLM) and a 2017 BMW i8.
Khared pleaded guilty in 2019, but there are still several pending documents in the case. The judge’s ruling serves as a significant step towards holding the hacker accountable for his actions.