Brooklyn man, 23, is charged in $15 million Coinbase 'customer-care' scheme

""Mr. Spektor has pleaded not guilty," his attorney, Todd Spodek, told Business Insider. "We're working to secure his release early next week and will challenge the charges in court.""

""Each Coinbase user confirmed that prior to the loss of their cryptocurrency, said Coinbase users were contacted over the phone by someone who purported to be a legitimate Coinbase employee," prosecutors allege in the complaint."

""The purported employee informed them their assets were at risk and needed to be moved to a new wallet," the complaint alleges, using the term for the applications that store cryptocurrency."

Ronald Spektor, 23, of Brooklyn is accused of stealing $15 million by impersonating a Coinbase customer care representative and obtaining victims' cryptocurrency passwords. Prosecutors say the scheme began in April 2023 and continued until his arrest on December 4. About 100 victims across the United States were allegedly tricked; investigators have interviewed roughly 70. Spektor has been held on Rikers Island with bail set at $500,000 cash or $1 million bond. He faces grand larceny and money laundering charges, each carrying up to 25 years, plus counts of possessing stolen property and personal information. His attorney says he pleaded not guilty and will challenge the charges.

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