In a joint operation between the Thai government and the FBI, dubbed “Operation 293,” authorities achieved the crypto recovery of assets valued at over $432,000 (approximately 14 million baht). The leader of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), Lieutenant General Suraphon Prempoot, confirmed that the assets were seized from an alleged Eastern European cybercriminal hiding in Phuket, demonstrating that physical borders do not protect digital criminals.
The hacker’s modus operandi involved deploying malware to steal authentication keys and seed phrases, converting victims’ funds into USDT and Bitcoin, and dispersing them across multiple wallets. To halt this, investigators coordinated efforts with stablecoin issuer Tether and local exchange Bitkub, successfully freezing and securing the assets. This case reinforces Thailand’s stance as an active hub in the fight against crypto crime, following recent captures of high-profile fugitives.
With the funds secured in a wallet under CCIB custody, authorities initiated the restitution process, returning money to two of the identified victims on Monday. This milestone sets a precedent in international cooperation for crypto recovery, sending a clear warning: neither blockchain anonymity nor geographic location guarantees impunity before the law.
Disclaimer: Crypto Economy Flash News is produced from official and public sources verified by our editorial team. Its purpose is to inform quickly about relevant events in the crypto and blockchain ecosystem.
This information does not constitute financial advice or investment recommendations. We recommend always verifying each project’s official channels before making related decisions.
