2 - 3 minute read
Luke Dashjr, a prominent Bitcoin developer and early contributor to the cryptocurrency, reported on Twitter that his PGP key has been hijacked and all of his Bitcoin has been stolen. Dashjr reported that a significant percentage of the stolen monies were sent to the CoinJoin mixing service via the address 1YAR6opJCfDjBNdn5bV8. The exact amount of Bitcoin stolen remains unknown.
The developer expressed shock and disbelief at the theft and inquired as to why he was unable to contact anyone at the FBI or IC3 for assistance. Dashjr’s predicament is exacerbated by the lack of knowledge regarding the amount of Bitcoin that was taken. This has served as a reminder to many members of the cryptocurrency community to store their keys in cold storage rather than on internet-connected devices.
PSA: My PGP key is compromised, and at least many of my bitcoins stolen. I have no idea how. Help please. #Bitcoin
— @LukeDashjr@BitcoinHackers.org on Mastodon (@LukeDashjr) January 1, 2023
Dashjr, despite being a prominent player in the world of cryptocurrencies, came to social media to seek assistance with what appears to be an illegal act committed by an unknown culprit. Due to the absence of a central body regulating the management of digital assets, the theft serves as a reminder of the need of securing digital assets.
Some Twitter users have questioned Dashjr’s sincerity and asserted that the theft statement is a ruse. “The art of the boating accident. Respect,” one user joked.
Regardless of the authenticity of Dashjr’s claims, the episode illustrates the risk of keeping significant amounts of cryptocurrency and the necessity of taking further safeguards to secure digital assets. How the problem will be resolved and whether the stolen Bitcoin will be retrieved are unknown.
