scammer posing as Coinbase customer service sentenced to 4 to 12 years for stealing nearly $16 million

Odaily News: The Brooklyn District Attorney's Office announced that 23-year-old Brooklyn man Ronald Spektor was sentenced to 4 to 12 years in prison for phishing and social engineering fraud. Over about a year, he impersonated Coinbase customer service, claiming that accounts had been hacked and assets were at risk, tricking approximately 100 U.S. users into transferring cryptocurrency to wallets he controlled, stealing a total of nearly $15.94 million. He then laundered the funds through multiple exchanges, mixing services, and crypto gambling platforms. On September 2, Spektor pleaded guilty to all 31 charges, including first-degree money laundering and first-degree grand larceny, and was ordered to forfeit cash, cryptocurrency, and personal property worth over $500,000, as well as pay nearly $16 million in restitution.