Brooklyn Man Charged in $16 Million Cryptocurrency Phishing Scheme Targeting Coinbase Users
Ronald Spektor, 23, from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, has been charged with stealing approximately $16 million in cryptocurrency from around 100 Coinbase users through a phishing and social-engineering scheme. Operating under the online alias "lolimfeelingevil," Spektor posed as a Coinbase representative and convinced victims to send their crypto assets to accounts controlled by him.
His laundering methods involved the use of cryptocurrency mixers, swapping services, and crypto gambling sites. Victims were deceived into believing their assets were at risk of hacker theft. Spektor was arraigned on 31 counts, including first-degree grand larceny, first-degree money laundering, and participating in a scheme to defraud. The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office has reported recovering about $105,000 in cash and $400,000 in digital assets, with ongoing efforts to locate additional funds.
Investigators also revealed that Spektor boasted about his heists in the Telegram channel "Blockchain enemies," where they recovered messages indicating a $6 million gambling loss. Coinbase cooperated closely with the Brooklyn DA and its Virtual Currency Unit to identify Spektor and the victims, trace the on-chain activity, and assist in recovering funds.
This case is related to prior investigations, including by independent security researcher ZachXBT, and follows a separate Coinbase data breach earlier in 2025 that affected about 70,000 users and caused estimated damages of $400 million. Coinbase had reimbursed affected users and strengthened its security controls following that incident.
Spektor's bail was set at $500,000, and the judge barred his father from posting bond due to an inability to establish the funds' source.
