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Topic: BTC-e hacked ?? - page 123. (Read 199749 times)

newbie
Activity: 8
Merit: 0
July 26, 2017, 10:22:29 AM
If he was really arrested, then the site going down, THEN getting updated, seems really fishy.

Been thinking what scenarios that could lead to that...

- I read on an article linked on reddit that the founders of BTC-e are Aleksey and Alexander. It could be Aleksey updating the site, still thinking of how to proceed.

Or WORSE, the updates stopped because he was also arrested afterwards.

- Or if you think about it, BTC-e's only fault is the lack of licenses/legal mumbo-jumbo (BitLicense, KYC/AML, constrictive withdrawal limits, etc.). This allows things like the what that other linked article is talking about, 95% of ransomware proceeds are sent to BTC-e, probably DNM coins too, etc.

In this case, since his only violation is running an "unlicensed exchange", he MIGHT be cooperating with the authorities (tracing the people behind ransomware or DNMs, using BTC-e logs). Although it would be unlikely they would let him update the site.

- Or the site updates and the tweets were triggered by a deadman's switch.

I just hope if it's Aleksey or some other admin doing updates, that they eventually allow crypto withdrawals (those in BTC-e fiat would probably screwed though, maybe the delay has something to do with them trying to figure out that part).

Or that it's the wrong guy, not the correct Alexander and it's all a HUGE coincidence.
hero member
Activity: 564
Merit: 508
July 26, 2017, 10:16:33 AM
Sadly it's true, btc-e admin involved in money laundering.

Translate from Greek: http://www.dailythess.gr/h-megali-klopi-bitcoins-dark-web-ke-chlidati-zoi-tou-rosou-pou-entopise-fbi-sti-chalkidiki/
newbie
Activity: 28
Merit: 0
July 26, 2017, 10:12:44 AM
BTC-e admins are now erasing all the traces and moving funds to safe.

Servers maybe already empty, next you will see is seized flag at btc-e.com

Then it is too late!
legendary
Activity: 1256
Merit: 1009
July 26, 2017, 10:05:14 AM
Quote
If you had something in BTC-e it's time to move on.
I'm not completely sure this is the case (although it may be).  Just because the U.S. arrested him - if his keys are in cold storage under Russian control those are more Russian bitcoins than the U.S. bitcoins.

Should be interesting to watch play out.

https://thebitcoinnews.com/alexander-vinnik-admin-btc-e-arrested-greece-4-billion-bitcoin-money-laundering/
legendary
Activity: 1552
Merit: 1047
July 26, 2017, 10:01:58 AM
Does anybody know anything about this Alexander Vinnik ?

Afaik one of the founders of btc-e is named Alexander.
maybe coincidence ? Not uncommon name for Russians ...

Info obtained from some rather old article:
https://www.cryptocoinsnews.com/btc-e-trustworthy-or-recipe-for-disaster/

Quote
After taking a closer look, it seemed we could assume the exchange was based in Cyprus. The terms of use on BTC-e’s website stated the exchange was governed by the laws applicable in Cyprus. However, when looking up the website through Google, the description says BTC-e operates from Bulgaria. Neither could be proven so these discoveries won’t bring any more clarity. The only certainty, as far as certainty about BTC-e goes, would be the involvement of Russia. BTC-e’s helpdesk releases periodic updates, presented in Russian and English. The presence of Russian currency on the website also indicate this. A December interview with CoinDesk, one of the few interviews BTC-e ever did, gave away the names of Aleksey and Alexander. Both are names that are well represented in Russia.
Did some digging which led me to this topic, see the image here.

It has the name of Alexander Vinnik, which could mean that this is his profile on bitcointalk: https://bitcointalksearch.org/user/wme-43575

He seems to be involved with exchanges for a long time, running wm-exchange and trading in the forums. However he does not strike me as the owner of btc-e, I don't think the owner would bother with small scale trades like these, so it could be a coincidence, just a guy with the same name. Still, it may warrant further investigation.
newbie
Activity: 27
Merit: 0
July 26, 2017, 09:55:48 AM
Basically everything is now lost. Money, btc, eth, ltc, ... these will never be released when servers are seized.

Look what happened with Megaupload, people nothing to do with criminal activities will always suffer.
Some of them are still trying to get there files back after years of faiting with US. If you had something in BTC-e it's time to move on.
newbie
Activity: 15
Merit: 0
July 26, 2017, 09:50:54 AM
why on earth an arrest would stop the entire operation.

My opinion is that they have a problem, some damage or hack but not a gamebreaking on


They are here for many years , they make 100 k $ every day, I believe all is going to go well.


I hope so

But the trust that btc-e is scam and not back again
legendary
Activity: 1256
Merit: 1009
July 26, 2017, 09:49:34 AM
why on earth an arrest would stop the entire operation.

My opinion is that they have a problem, some damage or hack but not a gamebreaking one.

They are here for many years , they make 100 k $ every day, I believe all is going to go well.

If the government arrests you because 95% of the cashouts on ransomware were going thru your website.  Blames it on stupid SEC laws.  And decides to kill your website.  If you have the ability to shut it down, it will be shut down.
member
Activity: 131
Merit: 13
In the fray since 2013.
July 26, 2017, 09:43:31 AM
why on earth an arrest would stop the entire operation.

My opinion is that they have a problem, some damage or hack but not a gamebreaking one.

They are here for many years , they make 100 k $ every day, I believe all is going to go well.
jr. member
Activity: 90
Merit: 3
legendary
Activity: 1256
Merit: 1009
newbie
Activity: 9
Merit: 0
July 26, 2017, 09:21:53 AM
Does anybody know anything about this Alexander Vinnik ?

Afaik one of the founders of btc-e is named Alexander.
maybe coincidence ? Not uncommon name for Russians ...


http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-alexander-vinnik-sentenced-to-ten-years-in-prison-for-killing-state-22887976.html
legendary
Activity: 2170
Merit: 1427
July 26, 2017, 09:20:13 AM
Lol the fud is increasing.

That's pretty much a normal thing nowadays, since every event with a potentially negative tint may be used in an attempt to get the price to tank. If a new Twitter statement comes through in the coming hours, we'll see the fud train lose steam, but if we don't happen to see any sort of statement, expect the fud to increase a notch or two. I must point out that I start to feel slightly worried with quite some funds sitting in my account there. I am seriously glad that I haven't made any more BTC deposits, as I was initially planning to do. As said before in this thread, as long as there isn't an FBI warning/notification on the front page, things should be fine (at least, I hope so).
member
Activity: 317
Merit: 12
July 26, 2017, 09:19:58 AM
if this is the btc-e guy feds caught, wouldn't feds put the website down immediately or place a "seizure" document on display? btc-e.com still shows a maintenance page.
legendary
Activity: 2842
Merit: 1511
July 26, 2017, 09:17:26 AM
Well...it looks like it is at a GOX level again of FUD...looks like my btc 'hoard' is gonna go down 1/3 in paper profits probably....and a year to resolve if anything like the past

Ouch, sorry to hear that. I've always avoided having anything large on there, as they've always seemed shady to me.

I don't think the impact will be like Gox as BTC-e is a much smaller component of the whole market, but we'll see.
legendary
Activity: 1288
Merit: 1087
July 26, 2017, 09:09:55 AM
Wait for the site to start working again or a statement from law enforcement.

Doing anything else is a waste of energy.
member
Activity: 107
Merit: 10
July 26, 2017, 09:05:35 AM
Lol the fud is increasing.
full member
Activity: 133
Merit: 100
July 26, 2017, 09:03:51 AM
anyone has an answer? okpay is running with customers funds so if they are related we are doomed.
full member
Activity: 233
Merit: 100
July 26, 2017, 09:03:07 AM
Does anybody know anything about this Alexander Vinnik ?

Afaik one of the founders of btc-e is named Alexander.
maybe coincidence ? Not uncommon name for Russians ...

Unfortunately the similarities are way too many. This would be one hell of a coincidence...
member
Activity: 66
Merit: 10
July 26, 2017, 09:00:10 AM
Quote

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek police arrested a Russian man suspected of running a money laundering operation involving turning $4 billion from illicit business activities into the digital currency bitcoin, they said on Wednesday.

Police did not name the 38-year-old, who was arrested in the northern Greek region of Chalkidiki on Monday on a U.S. warrant.

He is suspected of heading a criminal organization since 2011 that "owns, operates and manages one of the world's leading e-crime websites", police said in a statement.

The Russian Foreign Ministry in Moscow said it had no information on the case.

Bitcoin was the first digital currency to successfully use cryptography to keep transactions secure and hidden, making traditional financial regulation difficult if not impossible.

Reporting by Karolina Tagaris in Athens and Jack Stubbs in Moscow; Editing by Louise Ireland

Everything seems to match up unfortunately.

Russian - check
Ran the site since 2011 - check
Exchanging funds into bitcoin - check
One of the worlds leading "e-crime" website - check
BTC-E went down same day as arrest - check

Sad day if true. BTC-E was great. I am pro anonymity and btc-e provided that. It looks like the owner may be paying a hefty price in the end. Sad

His name is Alexander Vinnik
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-greece-russia-arrest-suspect-idUKKBN1AB1VT



I wonder if he's somehow related to this Vinik:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Vinik

Just can't seem to trust the moneychangers anymore.
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