Bitcoin phishing Twitter hacker caught! Law enforcement agencies warn: Internet criminals can no longer hide behind anonymity.

Previously reported, a group of hackers led by an individual known online as "Kirk" participated in a phishing scam on July 15th, targeting well-known accounts including Apple, Uber, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, former U.S. President Obama, presidential candidate Biden, among others, and posted phishing posts demanding Bitcoin. The scheme resulted in over 400 transfers, totaling over $100,000.

Today (1st), U.S. law enforcement authorities announced charges against three individuals involved, with 17-year-old Graham Ivan Clark from Florida believed to be the mastermind behind the incident. Two other individuals have also been charged, including 22-year-old Nima Fazeli from Orlando (online alias: Rolex), and 19-year-old Mason Sheppard from the UK (online alias: Chaewon), both of whom have been detained. The 17-year-old is being transferred to Florida prosecutors due to being a minor under the Federal Juvenile Delinquency Act. It has not been confirmed whether the 17-year-old is Kirk, but the FBI stated that the case is still under investigation.

Prosecutor: This is not your average 17-year-old

During a press conference at the Florida State Attorney's Office, the prosecutor stated: "He is clearly a 17-year-old who just graduated from high school. But make no mistake, this is not your average 17-year-old. This is an unprecedentedly complex attack." The young man is facing 30 charges and is currently detained in Florida.

Hackers facing severe penalties

Nima Fazeli is charged with computer intrusion and faces five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Mason Sheppard, on the other hand, is accused of accepting fraudulent funds through accounts he opened with Coinbase and Binance using a driver's license, and is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Different approach in cybercrime investigation: Blockchain analysis of financial flows

Experts from the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS, along with law enforcement partners, identified two hackers by analyzing Bitcoin transaction flow on the blockchain. Authorities stated that the cross-agency collaboration between public and private institutions in this case serves as a model for combating cybercrime.

The FBI's Special Agent in Charge in San Francisco stated: "Cybercriminals can no longer hide behind global anonymity." California prosecutor David L. Anderson also added: "Those who engage in cybercrime may think they can hide in the shadows of the internet, but there is no dark corner. To the offenders, I would say: break the law, and we will find you."

Incidentally, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is planning to purchase the services of the analytics platform Coinbase Analytics (CA). According to IRS documents:

As cryptocurrencies become more popular, criminals are using other types of cryptocurrencies, not just Bitcoin. Coinbase Analytics can analyze and track multiple blockchain systems used by criminals, a capability not offered by other tools on the market.

Leading blockchain data analysis company Chainalysis also provided a clear visualization of the blockchain financial flow paths for this case: