Wednesday, August 1, 2018

UMass Tech Wiz Student Charged With Stealing $2 Million in Digital Currency



A Massachusetts college student who was named his high school’s valedictorian for his savvy tech skills hacked into unsuspecting investors’ personal cellphones, email and social media accounts to steal at least $2 million in digital currency like Bitcoin, according to documents provided by California prosecutors Wednesday, reports AP.

Joel Ortiz was taken into custody July 12 at Los Angeles International Airport ahead of a flight to Boston, according to prosecutors. The 20-year-old faces more than two dozen charges including grand theft, identity theft and computer hacking, court documents show. He’s held on $1 million bail.

Ortiz is enrolled at the University of Massachusetts Boston and studies information technology, said school spokesman DeWayne Lehman.

-RW  

2 comments:

  1. What, exactly, did he steal though? It's not "money." Not property. What? Collectibles?

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    Replies
    1. whether you like it or not cryptos are financial assets because people are willing to exchange them with each other for like value. The crypto market also relies on confidence to function.

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