MIT-educated brothers accused of stealing $25 million in cryptocurrency in 12 seconds in Ethereum blockchain scheme
Washington — A pair of brothers from New York and Boston were taken into federal custody Tuesday, accused by prosecutors of devising a novel criminal scheme to steal about $25 million in cryptocurrency from a commonly used blockchain, according to a newly unsealed indictment.
Anton and James Peraire-Bueno were charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Investigators accused them of spending months plotting their theft within the Ethereum blockchain, baiting their victims and establishing shell companies to hide their illicit profits.
According to charging documents, the pair studied math and computer science “at one of the most prestigious universities in the country,” which prosecutors said afforded them a unique set of skills that allowed them to carry out the first-of-its-kind endeavor in a matter of seconds. James Peraire-Bueno is listed as a 2021 graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the MIT Registrar’s Office confirmed that Anton Peraire-Bueno earned a B.S. in computer science and engineering in February 2024, and James Peraire-Bueno earned a B.S. in mathematics, computer science and aerospace engineering in June 2019, as well as a M.S. in aeronautics and astronautics in June 2021.
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Source: cbsnews.com