Key Takeaways
- Dutch authorities arrest 26-year-old suspect linked to ZKasino gambling scam, seizing assets worth over $12 million;
- ZKasino promised quick returns on investments but failed to deliver, raising suspicions among investors;
- The suspect faces charges of fraud, embezzlement, and money laundering.
Dutch authorities have arrested a 26-year-old man in connection with the ZKasino online gambling scam.
The Fiscal Information and Investigation Service (FIOD) made the arrest on April 29, following investigations into the scheme that reportedly defrauded investors out of at least $33 million.
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During the arrest, law enforcement seized assets worth more than 11.4 million euros (approximately $12.2 million), including crypto, real estate, and luxury vehicles.
The suspect is currently facing charges of fraud, embezzlement, and money laundering. His identity has not been disclosed as the investigation is ongoing.
ZKasino was promoted as a blockchain-based gambling platform, attracting deposits of over 10,515 Ether with the promise of returns within 30 days. However, after failing to deliver on these promises, the platform soon drew suspicion.
Red flags were raised after it was revealed that all the amount of Ether was transferred to the Lido staking protocol. In addition, users noted that a statement guaranteeing the return of deposited Ether was removed from ZKasino’s website.
The situation escalated when ZKasino announced securing $350 million in Series A funding with backing from notable firms. However, one of these purported investors, Big Brain VC, officially denied any involvement with the platform and described it as potentially fraudulent.
This case continues to unfold as Dutch authorities delve deeper into the investigation, holding the suspect for another 14 days to gather more evidence.
In other news, “Bitcoin Jesus” Roger Ver has been arrested for allegedly evading taxes and committing mail fraud.
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