New details emerged in the Brooklyn case against 23-year-old Ronald Spektor, indicted for a $16 million cryptocurrency theft scam: Prosecutors say he gambled away $6 million of the funds, traveled the US to evade capture, and planned to flee abroad. His father is now under investigation, with court resuming January 6.
Following Ronald Spektor's Friday arraignment on 31 counts—including first-degree grand larceny, money laundering, and scheme to defraud—for impersonating a Coinbase employee to steal $16 million from about 100 US-based traders, prosecutors disclosed further details on his handling of the funds and evasion efforts.
Spektor allegedly routed the stolen cryptocurrency through various wallets and exchanges, losing $6 million on online gambling platforms and storefronts. The Brooklyn District Attorney's Virtual Currency Unit investigated for a year, interviewing over 70 victims.
DA Eric Gonzalez stated: “He allegedly tricked many unsuspecting people to transfer their life savings to wallets he controlled, blew their hard-earned money gambling online, and then bragged about his successful thefts. We will investigate offenders using the latest technology, freeze their assets whenever possible, and assist the victims.”
Spektor evaded initial arrest by crisscrossing the US on Greyhound buses while preparing to flee overseas, including sending $600,000 in crypto to an associate in Georgia. His father is an active suspect due to unexplained wealth.
The court will reconvene on January 6 to examine evidence of Spektor's impersonation tactics.