In a brand new Twitter thread, blockchain detective Zachxbt has revealed the identities of 4 individuals allegedly linked to numerous Non-fungible token (NFT) rug pulls.
$2.8M created from scams
Within the thread on April 27, he alleged that the 4 persons are from Croatia and had rugged 9 completely different NFT initiatives, making no less than $2.8 million.
1/ Nicely all too typically NFT scammers determine to stay round on Twitter and this group sadly is not any completely different.
4 individuals from Croatia have rugged 9 completely different initiatives since September 2021 & have stolen no less than $2.8m all collectively.
Let’s dive in. pic.twitter.com/TTihrIw3gd
— zachxbt (@zachxbt) April 27, 2022
The NFT initiatives embody DAOTurtles, Saconi Holmovimiento, Pixel Cat Gang, Baller Headz, Bored Ape Tattoo Store, Trippy Ape, Acid Ape Sweet, Excessive Membership, and Drippy Jesus. In keeping with him, eight of those initiatives now not have energetic web sites, and their Twitter pages have been deleted.
Via their ENS addresses, Zachxbt was in a position to determine these masterminds. He said that the three ENS addresses, lexii.eth, keelito.eth, and mvpnft.eth, interacted probably the most with NFT initiatives.
It was potential to see this via a graphic visualization of the proceeds from these NFT initiatives. The visualization reveals that many of the funds ended up in 5 accounts on Binance.
A easy Twitter search revealed that two of them are on Twitter; Lexiieth has lately deactivated his account, whereas keelito.eth has modified his username to hedgefundnft.
Nonetheless, the individual behind keelito.eth is attempting to erase their affiliation with the title. They even went so far as burning the title. He has now deleted his Twitter account as effectively.
However that wasn’t sufficient to cease Zachxbt from uncovering their actual identification. In keeping with him, he was ready to make use of data from an nameless supply and Discord to unmask the 4 Croatians aged between 20 and 23.
Their actual names are allegedly Janko Pribicevic, Fran Kosutic, Martin Vucemil Prelovsek, and Andrija Putanec. All of them are on Instagram, the place they observe each other.
7/ Nicely who’re they?
Nicely utilizing data from discord & an anon good friend I used to be in a position to hyperlink it to those 4 people from Croatia ages 20-23.
Janko Pribicevic
Fran Kosutic
Martin Vucemil Prelovsek (bear in mind mvp.eth)
Andrija PutanecAll of them observe one another on Instagram pic.twitter.com/1FcS4SmFFC
— zachxbt (@zachxbt) April 27, 2022
Blockchain transactions depart footprints
This revelation is one other instance of unhealthy actors within the NFT scene who’re scamming 1000’s of individuals with initiatives that don’t have any potential. This yr alone, tens of millions have been misplaced to NFT rug pulls.
One mistake all these scammers make is that they fail to grasp they’re not really nameless on the blockchain. Via their pockets addresses and on-line actions, Zachxbt has been in a position to determine a number of of them.
Nonetheless, the absence of a transparent regulatory framework makes it tough to convey these scammers to justice. There have been some optimistic developments lately with the U.S. Division of Justice arresting and prosecuting the masterminds behind the Frosties NFT rug pull. In the meantime, New York is contemplating legal guidelines that can make rug pulls a legal offense.
