Home / Crime and Justice / Florida Man Accused of Draining Wallets Via Fake Steam Games
Florida Man Accused of Draining Wallets Via Fake Steam Games
17 Jul
Summary
- Florida student Zyaire Wilkins arrested for distributing malware via Steam.
- Malicious games allegedly infected 8,000 users, stealing $220,000 in crypto.
- Fake games were promoted on Discord, LinkedIn, and Telegram platforms.
Zyaire Wilkins, a 21-year-old Florida student, faces accusations from U.S. prosecutors of uploading fake video games laced with malware to the Steam platform. The FBI arrested Wilkins recently, with prosecutors alleging he and unnamed co-conspirators engaged in hacking crimes over the last two years.
These individuals allegedly published several malware-laden titles, including BlockBlasters and PirateFi, on Steam. According to the FBI, this malware infected approximately 8,000 victims and led to the theft of at least $220,000 worth of cryptocurrency from around 80 hacked wallets.
Authorities state that Wilkins and his partners promoted these deceptive games on social media and communication platforms like Discord, LinkedIn, and Telegram. An investigation by the FBI into similar malware-embedded games on Steam was announced in March, seeking information from those who had downloaded the malicious software.
Evidence tracing the stolen funds, including gift card purchases linked to Wilkins' online alias "Sibel.eth," led federal agents to execute a search warrant at his residence. Devices and digital wallets were seized, though Wilkins reportedly refused to cooperate with investigators.
