Silk Road hacker James Zhong hid 51,680 BTC for ten years but was caught because of a popcorn tin
- —In 2012 Zhong stole 51,680 BTC from Silk Road, worth about $620,000 at the time
- —The keys were found in 2021 in a Cheetos popcorn tin and a safe in a concrete floor
- —April 2023 sentence: 1 year and 1 day in prison, 3 years of probation, a $10,000 fine
- —Almost all assets were confiscated thanks to cooperation with investigators
Why it matters: The case confirms that blockchain transactions are traceable and that even old stolen coins can return to the market through confiscation.
Source: Siam Blockchain