Crypto theft: Delhi Police probe reveals scamsters transferred amount to Hamas wing

Investigation has determined that the cryptocurrency stolen in 2019 from a businessman was transferred to the accounts of Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Palestinian organisation Hamas.

Two Bitcoins were transferred to a wallet with the address name ‘Al-QassamBrigades’. The rest of the stolen amount was sent to five other e-wallets. (File/Reuters)

The Delhi Police Cyber Cell said it has busted scamsters who allegedly stole cryptocurrency from a Delhi-based businessman and transferred the amount to the wallets of Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Palestinian organisation Hamas. The current value of the cryptocurrency is Rs 4 crore.

In 2019, the businessman filed a complaint at Paschim Vihar police station alleging that his Bitcoins, Ethereum and other e-wallet currency worth Rs 30 lakh was fraudulently transferred to unknown accounts. The case was later transferred to the Cyber Cell, Special Cell.

During investigation, the Delhi Police found that the Bitcoins were transferred to the accounts of Al-Qassam Brigades. The investigating team said a blockchain analysis of the wallet was done. Around 6.7 Bitcoins, 9.79 Ethereum and 2.44 bitcoin cash was transferred to three accounts.

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Two Bitcoins were transferred to a wallet with the address name ‘Al-QassamBrigades’. The rest of the stolen amount was sent to five other e-wallets.

KPS Malhotra, DCP (Cyber Cell) said, “The cryptocurrencies were routed through various wallets and landed in the suspected wallets. We discovered that one of the wallets, that belongs to the Palestinian origination, has been seized by Israeli authorities for counter-terror financing.”

Some of the currency was transferred to other wallets that are being operated from Giza, Egypt and Ramallah, Palestine. Police said they have recovered all details of these accounts and while some of them were used for financing terror operations, others were used for child pornography.

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