Bitcoin Heist High-Roller Scam Unfolds in Amsterdam

Kent Halliburton, CEO of Sazmining, found himself entangled in a bizarre and costly Bitcoin heist after meeting with representatives of a Monaco-based family office in Amsterdam. The family office expressed interest in purchasing a significant amount of Bitcoin mining rigs from Sazmining, a deal worth around $4 million. The initial meeting at the Rosewood Hotel seemed promising, with discussions over a lavish lunch and a small Bitcoin transaction to build trust. However, this was merely the beginning of an elaborate scam.

Halliburton later returned to Amsterdam for further negotiations, where he met with one of the representatives, Maxim, at the Okura Hotel. Maxim persuaded Halliburton to download the Atomic Wallet app and transfer $220,000 worth of Bitcoin to it as a demonstration of Sazmining's holdings. Shortly after transferring the funds, the Bitcoin vanished from the wallet. Halliburton realised he had been scammed in a sophisticated attack.

Investigations by blockchain analytics companies revealed that the stolen funds were quickly dispersed through various cryptocurrency exchanges and mixing services, making it difficult to trace the money. Security researchers believe Halliburton was targeted in a surveillance-style attack, where the scammers likely stole the seed phrase for his Atomic Wallet. This could have been achieved by hacking the hotel Wi-Fi or, more plausibly, by recording the seed phrase when it appeared on Halliburton's phone during the wallet setup. Despite the significant financial blow, Sazmining managed to stay afloat by delaying payments and extending loans. Law enforcement agencies have been notified, but the sheer volume of crypto-related scams makes individual investigations challenging. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with cryptocurrency transactions and the importance of robust security measures.

Fuente Original: https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2025/11/bonkers-bitcoin-heist-5-star-hotels-cash-filled-envelopes-vanishing-funds/

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