A New York jury has found cybersecurity consultant Jonathan Spalletta guilty in a case tied to the theft of nearly $55 million from crypto trading platform Uranium Finance, according to Bloomberg. Prosecutors said Spalletta carried out two attacks in 2021, after which the platform shut down. The jury reached its verdict after more than two hours of deliberation. One of the charges involves money laundering tied to the use of crypto mixing services including Tornado Cash, a count that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff set sentencing for Feb. 16. Authorities also seized more than $3 million worth of rare Pokemon and Magic: The Gathering cards, along with about $31 million in crypto assets, from Spalletta’s Maryland home. Prosecutors said he also spent more than $600,000 on an ancient Roman coin commemorating Caesar’s assassination and $137,000 on a piece of the Wright brothers’ original aircraft that Armstrong had taken to the moon. Defense lawyers argued he only used publicly available smart contract functions and did not forge credentials or deploy malicious code.
Jonathan Spalletta, a cybersecurity consultant, was found guilty by a New York jury in a case involving the theft of nearly $55 million from crypto trading platform Uranium Finance, according to Bloomberg.
Prosecutors accused Spalletta of carrying out two attacks in 2021. Uranium Finance shut down after the funds were stolen. The jury returned its verdict after deliberating for more than two hours.
Spalletta also faces a money laundering count tied to the use of crypto mixing services including Tornado Cash. That charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff scheduled sentencing for Feb. 16.
Law enforcement authorities seized more than $3 million worth of rare Pokemon and Magic: The Gathering cards from Spalletta’s Maryland residence, along with about $31 million in crypto assets.
Prosecutors said he also spent more than $600,000 on an ancient Roman coin commemorating Caesar’s assassination, and paid $137,000 for a piece of the Wright brothers’ original aircraft that Armstrong had taken to the moon.
Defense lawyers argued that Spalletta merely used functions that were publicly available within the smart contract, rather than forging credentials or using malicious code, and therefore his conduct should not be treated as hacking.
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