A $330.7 million Bitcoin theft—one of the largest in crypto history—has been traced back to an elderly American victim, according to prominent blockchain investigator ZachXBT. The attack, which occurred on April 28, involved the theft of 3,520 BTC through an elaborate social engineering scheme.
Bitcoin Laundered via Hundreds of Wallets and Privacy Tools
ZachXBT’s investigation revealed that the stolen Bitcoin was swiftly funneled through over 300 different wallets and laundered across at least 20 exchanges. The privacy coin Monero (XMR) played a significant role in obfuscating the trail, leading to a temporary price surge of over 50%.
XMR’s price jumped from $228 to $347 before stabilizing around $295. While some initially speculated that the rally was driven by fundamental developments, ZachXBT indicated it was likely the result of increased demand from laundering operations.
No Nation-State Actor Involved, Says ZachXBT
Contrary to early rumors linking the heist to state-sponsored groups such as North Korea’s Lazarus Group, ZachXBT confirmed the theft stemmed from a targeted attack on an individual, not a known hacking collective.
“You can fingerprint the type of attack/attacker pretty well if you spend all of your time tracking illicit activity onchain,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter), emphasizing that the case bore the classic traits of a coordinated social engineering operation.
Fifth-Largest Crypto Hack Ever
This latest incident now ranks as the fifth-largest crypto hack on record, underscoring the persistent risks faced by early and long-term crypto investors—particularly those without strong operational security.
As of now, no law enforcement involvement has been publicly confirmed, and the identity of the attacker remains unknown.
