AntiDark.Net

Seven members of a California-based cryptocurrency hacker network were indicted by a Queens grand jury on charges of grand larceny, money laundering, identity theft and other related crimes following a long-term investigation into the hack of a private Bitcoin wallet belonging to a 61-year-old Jamaica man, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Monday.

The victim is the owner of a southeast Queens auto body shop. He purchased the Bitcoins in 2017 and never made any transactions. He has been watching his investment grow as his retirement fund, according to a law enforcement source. Bitcoin was removed from the victim’s Blockchain.com wallet through two unauthorized transactions in November 2022.

At the time of the hack, the 5.75 bitcoins were valued at approximately $92,000. Today, the same cryptocurrency amount is valued at more than $300,000.

Alleged mastermind Aaron Peterson Jr., 20, his father, Aaron Peterson, 39, and his mother, Autumn Clark, 37, all of Sacramento County, California, were arrested, extradited to Queens and arraigned Friday in Queens Supreme Court. Co-defendants Dontay Brown, 39, of Sacramento County, Ca., and Ronald Lamar, Jr., 22, of Solano County, Ca., are expected to be arraigned at a later date. Two other defendants are still being sought.