A Cybersecurity Expert Arrested for Stealing More Than $500,000 in Cryptocurrencies From a Client

Aaron Daniel Motta, a cybersecurity expert from Florida, was busted by the local police after he stole over $500,000 in cryptocurrency from a client while setting up a security system.

With the burgeoning crypto space, cyber attacks are also evolving. While cryptocurrency might be the dawn of a new age, it also has its counterpart that’s not so popular – cybercrime. It comes in many forms, from ransomware to email scams. The truth is, cybercriminals love laundering money and scheming businesses using cryptocurrency scams.

How Did The Purloin Happen?

According to a recent report, police have arrested a 27 year old man, Aaron Daniel Motta, for allegedly stealing about $575,910 in cryptocurrencies from a client. Motta—a “certified ethical hacker,” according to his LinkedIn—was helping a man with his security, when he stole a Trezor hardware wallet from the victim’s home.

As per the report, Motta stole the client’s Trezor hardware wallet and accessed the password before transferring the funds to his own wallet. Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement that  Motta attempted the digital currency theft while assuring the client that he would improve the security. But instead he stole the Trezor wallet from the man’s house.

The police arrested Motta on charges for grand theft and offense against computer users. However, he was released on Saturday for a $60,000 bail payment. The police said,

“Motta tried to cover his tracks by making multiple transactions, but authorities were able to track the $575,910 to his wallets. Motta faces felony charges of grand theft and offenses against computer users.”

Trezor’s Tryst With Cyberattack

Last week, email marketing firm, MailChimp, disclosed that they had been hit by hackers who gained access to internal customer support and account management tools to steal audience data and conduct phishing attacks. Cryptocurrency hardware wallet, Trezor, was exploited by a phishing scam spread via Mailchimp email distribution services.

Reports suggested that the phishing attack was an attempt to induce users to download malicious code under the guise of Trezor’s Suite desktop app by alleging a fake security breach at the company. As per a tweet by Trezor, it said that was investigating “a potential data breach of an opt-in newsletter hosted on MailChimp” and warned users to avoid opening emails from “[email protected]”. They further went on to express,

MailChimp have confirmed that their service has been compromised by an insider targeting crypto companies.

We have managed to take the phishing domain offline. We are trying to determine how many email addresses have been affected. 1/

— Trezor (@Trezor) April 3, 2022

“MailChimp have confirmed that their service has been compromised by an insider targeting crypto companies. We have managed to take the phishing domain offline. We are trying to determine how many email addresses have been affected.”