Crypto
Coinbase Scammer Sentenced to Prison
A Brooklyn man has been sentenced to four to 12 years in prison for stealing nearly $16 million from Coinbase users through a social engineering scheme.
The scam targeted almost 100 customers, who were impersonated and sent fake security warnings. The victims were instructed to transfer their cryptocurrencies to new wallets, not knowing that the perpetrator had access to them.
Ronald Spektor, 23, pleaded guilty on September 2, 2026, to all 31 felony charges against him. He must also pay almost $16 million in restitution.