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Cryptocurrency scam involving up to $15 million: Brooklyn man charged with impersonating Coinbase customer service personnel.
James Whitmore
Senior Partner / Anti-Fraud Specialist
professional field
“Every victim of fraud deserves professional assistance. Our goal is not only to protect legitimate rights and interests, but also to do our utmost to recover the defrauded funds and hold those responsible accountable.”
A 23-year-old Brooklyn man has been charged in connection with a large-scale cryptocurrency fraud scheme. Prosecutors allege that he impersonated Coinbase customer support representatives and defrauded U.S. cryptocurrency users of nearly $15 million.
According to prosecutors, Ronald Spektor allegedly contacted Coinbase users between April 2023 and December 2025, falsely claiming that their accounts were at risk of unauthorised access. Victims were pressured to take immediate action to “protect” their funds, a tactic investigators say was designed to prevent them from independently verifying the legitimacy of the calls.
As part of the scheme, victims were instructed to provide their cryptocurrency wallet recovery phrases, falsely told that the information was necessary to secure their accounts. Authorities allege that Spektor used these recovery phrases to gain full control of victims’ wallets and transferred cryptocurrency without authorisation, often within minutes.
The investigation reportedly identified approximately 100 victims nationwide, with losses ranging from small cryptocurrency amounts to millions of dollars. One victim allegedly lost more than $6 million. Investigators traced more than $5 million in stolen cryptocurrency to online gambling platforms, while additional funds were moved through cryptocurrency exchange services in an attempt to conceal their origin and complicate recovery efforts.
Spektor faces charges including grand larceny, money laundering, possession of stolen property, and possession of personal identifying information belonging to others. He is currently being held at Rikers Island with bail set at $500,000 cash or a $1 million bond. Spektor has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Experts emphasise that legitimate cryptocurrency exchanges will never request users’ wallet recovery phrases or private keys. Authorities warn that cryptocurrency impersonation scams and fake customer support schemes targeting digital asset holders remain among the fastest-growing forms of financial fraud.
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