The FBI is investigating a Bitcoin Core developer conference and has requested information from attendees through a subpoena. According to an email from Mike Schmidt of Brink, a philanthropy supporting open-source developers, the investigation relates to the theft of around $3.6 million worth of Bitcoins belonging to Luke Dashjr.
The email sent by Schmidt reads: “Notice regarding the Atlanta 2022 CoreDev event. All, As part of the investigation into Luke Dashjr’s announced theft of his bitcoins, I received a subpoena from the FBI wanting information about attendees […] I was legally advised to cooperate.” This subpoena, Schmidt explains, followed a legal obligation to not disclose its existence for a period of one year, a condition that has just reached its expiration.
According to an email from Schmidt, the data the FBI initially sought included extensive information. However, after objections were raised, the FBI narrowed down their request to obtain GitHub usernames, first and last names, and email addresses of those involved. As Schmidt explained, “I provided this limited set of information in response to the revised subpoena.”
In simpler terms, he acknowledged his mistake by saying, “I’m sorry for the unauthorized access to your personal data. Feel free to reach out to me if you need clarification on anything.”
The FBI requested and obtained the full names and email addresses in order to identify the GitHub usernames of Bitcoin Core developers.
— hodlonaut 80 IQ 10%er (@hodlonaut) April 10, 2024
What Happened To Dashjr’s Bitcoins?
An FBI investigation began last year after Luke Dashjr shared on social media that his Bitcoin holdings, a substantial amount, were stolen from his digital wallets on New Year’s Eve. Dashjr, who is influential in the Bitcoin blockchain and a strong supporter of its decentralization principle, explained that this theft resulted from an unauthorized access to his PGP key, ultimately putting all of his digital assets at risk.
Dashjr’s urgent online message conveyed the gravity of his situation: “Attention: My PGP key has been breached, and a significant amount of my bitcoins have been stolen. I don’t know how this happened. Can someone help me? […] Sadly, most of it is gone now.” His following statement confirmed the unfortunate truth: “Never mind most, almost all of it has been taken.”
According to Dashjr’s explanation, the security incident affected both types of digital wallets: those connected to the internet (referred to as “hot”) and those supposedly offline (“cold”). The unusual details surrounding this incident, such as previous reported breaches by Dashjr, have brought extra intricacy to the ongoing FBI investigation.
As the investigation progresses, it’s unclear how this subpoena will affect the wider Bitcoin community and privacy and security standards. This incident highlights the ongoing struggles to protect digital assets from advanced cyber attacks, despite efforts to decentralize and enhance security through blockchain tech.
At press time, BTC traded at $70,433.
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2024-04-11 09:11