Key facts
- A Florida man, Zyaire Wilkins, was arrested and accused of distributing malware through fake video games on Steam.
- The malware allegedly infected approximately 8,000 victims and led to the theft of at least $220,000 in cryptocurrency from 80 wallets.
- The fake games, including BlockBlasters and PirateFi, were marketed on platforms like Discord and Telegram.
- Authorities traced stolen funds through gift cards to Wilkins' residence, where devices were seized.
- Wilkins, 21, reportedly refused to cooperate with investigators.
U.S. prosecutors have accused Zyaire Wilkins, a 21-year-old Florida resident and student, of uploading fake video games containing malware to the PC games platform Steam. The malware was allegedly designed to infect victims' computers, steal passwords and data, and drain their cryptocurrency wallets. Wilkins and unnamed co-conspirators are accused of publishing several such games, including BlockBlasters, Dashverse, Lampy, Lunara, and PirateFi, over the past two years.
Authorities claim the scheme infected around 8,000 victims and resulted in the hacking of approximately 80 cryptocurrency wallets, with at least $220,000 in crypto stolen. The malicious games were marketed on platforms like Discord, LinkedIn, and Telegram. Valve, the maker of Steam, has removed several games found to contain malware from its platform.
An unnamed individual involved in the scheme told investigators that they worked with others to fund and market the games in exchange for a share of the stolen cryptocurrency. Law enforcement traced cryptocurrency payments to gift cards, which were then linked to deliveries made to Wilkins, who used the online alias Sibel.eth. A subsequent search warrant at Wilkins' residence led to the seizure of his laptop, cellphones, and digital wallets. Wilkins reportedly declined to speak with investigators.