▲ Bitcoin (BTC), virtual assets, cryptocurrency theft, cryptocurrency crime / ChatGPT-generated image

A shocking incident has occurred in which a well-known cryptocurrency investor was kidnapped and threatened with sexual violence by armed assailants, resulting in the theft of $24 million in assets.

Sillytuna, a major investor in the virtual asset industry and a prominent non-fungible token (NFT) collector, disclosed on March 7 (local time) through CryptoPotato and his social media accounts that he had fallen victim to a violent robbery. Initially, blockchain security firm PeckShield detected a large outflow of funds from Sillytuna’s wallet and suggested the possibility of an address poisoning hack. However, the truth turned out to be a far more horrific physical crime.

Sillytuna stated that the incident was not a simple technical hack but a brutal robbery involving weapons, kidnapping, and threats of sexual violence against his family. “The assailants broke in armed with weapons and threatened me to hand over passwords and private keys, extorting my assets by threatening my family’s safety,” he said, adding that the police have launched an investigation. As the anonymity of virtual assets intersects with the public exposure of high-net-worth individuals, so-called “wrench attacks,” which rely on offline physical violence, have become a grim reality.

According to on-chain data analysis by PeckShield, approximately $24 million worth of aEthUSDC was transferred from Sillytuna’s wallet to a wallet controlled by the attackers. Of the stolen assets, around $20 million was converted into DAI and distributed across multiple wallets under the attackers’ control. Security experts believe the perpetrators may have carefully planned the crime in advance, potentially preparing address poisoning tactics that generate fake wallet addresses similar to the victim’s to induce fraudulent transfers.

Deeply traumatized by the incident, Sillytuna made it clear that he intends to leave the cryptocurrency industry permanently. “In a situation filled with weapons and threats, I had no choice but to hand over my assets to protect my family,” he said. “I will now completely part ways with virtual assets.” The retirement announcement of a prominent investor active since the early days of the industry has sent shockwaves through the crypto ecosystem, raising physical security as a new and urgent issue in a sector where security is paramount.

*Disclaimer: This article is for investment reference only and does not assume responsibility for any investment losses incurred based on its content. The information provided should be interpreted solely for informational purposes.*

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