Australian feds seize mansion, Bitcoin allegedly linked to crypto exchange hack

An Australian antheral from the authorities of Queensland has forfeited Bitcoin, a waterfront mansion and a Mercedes-Benz car aft Australian Federal Police claimed the assets could beryllium linked to the proceeds of crime.

The AFP-led Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce (CACT) said successful a May 18 connection that it seized astir 25 Bitcoin (BTC), alongside the mansion and car, which are unneurotic worthy a full of 4.5 cardinal Australian dollars ($2.88 million).

The AFP said its probe began successful September 2018 aft instrumentality enforcement successful Luxembourg shared accusation astir suspicious Bitcoin transactions that the bureau claimed were connected to the Queensland antheral antecedently convicted of hacking a US gaming company.

A waterfront mansion successful Queensland was confiscated nether the allegation that it's linked to the theft of 950 Bitcoin. Source: Australian Federal Police

The AFP claimed its probe besides linked the antheral to the theft of 950 Bitcoin stolen from a French crypto exchange successful 2013.

No transgression charges were laid implicit the Bitcoin theft; however, the AFP obtained a tribunal forfeiture bid of the property, car and Bitcoin successful April nether the assertion that they could not beryllium linked with “identifiable morganatic earnings.”

AFP uses “unique powers” to prehend assets

Local media outlet 7NEWS reported that the proprietor of the confiscated assets is Shane Stephen Duffy, who pleaded blameworthy to fraud and machine hacking successful 2016 for selling the idiosyncratic information of League of Legends players.

A cyberattack connected League of Legends developer Riot Games successful 2011 saw hackers get the details of much than 5 cardinal users; Duffy was not accused of being progressive successful the hack, with prosecutors saying helium got a transcript of the information online and sold it for profit.

Duffy was besides accused of hacking the X relationship of Riot Games president Marc Merrill to publicize his data-selling business, which offered to merchantability entree to the accounts of different League of Legends players. 

Related: Aussies mislaid $122 cardinal to crypto scams successful the past 12 months: AFP

AFP Commander Jason Kennedy said successful a connection that the bureau has “unique powers” nether the Proceeds of Crime Act to “restrain and forfeit” assets it suspects to beryllium proceeds of crime, including cybercrime.

Source: Australian Federal Police

“The profits derived from transgression activities are besides often utilized to money further transgression acts, which is wherefore the AFP works intimately with our partners successful the CACT to people the proceeds of transgression and guarantee they are reinvested successful the community,” helium said. 

The proceeds from selling the assets volition beryllium sent to a peculiar intent money that supports transgression prevention and instrumentality enforcement-related measures, the AFP said. 

Since July 2019, the CACT has utilized its powerfulness to restrain implicit $1.2 cardinal successful assets, including houses, cars, yachts, crypto and good art.

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