Today while catching up with some well-connected guys from a crypto investor group, someone sent us a screenshot right out from the Ian Balina's telegram group.
In case is the first time you hear about him, just check one of his videos (see below the paragraph), coincidentally talking about retirement style while in Melbourne, I guess he did not count with his pension plan to be severed cut after a hack.
Coming back to the screenshot shared in the secret group (as you can see on the left) he let his telegram user base know that he was just hacked. I think you will not find hack news so surprising at this time, but this guy is a legend in the ICO world and is a little sad (if true), because he is a self-made guy. Many people could accuse him of being a show-off, but after making more than three million in paper value, any of us could potentially be.
As a vanguardist in the ICO field, he standardized a way to rank ICOs allowing many of followers to have access to his ICO data sheet.
He further added in social media that his Evernote recovery account was linked to his former college email, which was compromised sometime before the events. He was aware of it but did not chase a resolution in due time.
After the facts, the Internet, this faceless monster started investigating for itself, part of the community, detractors and many more out in their Inspector Gadget hat and started looking out for clues.
One of the most interesting conspiracy theories is stating that Mr. Balina knowing that tax season is hot, decided to “erase” his fortune by mimicking a hack, resulting in nothing more to declare.
Any person can also check directly the transactions that happen right before the "Hack", in the couple of hours between the creation of the draft for this post and the time of press, someone even tagged as "IanBal_Hack" the related address for the related transactions.
If you want to check more on the same, just access to;
https://etherscan.io/address/0x20f2ce82c28b726930a9b476503df7b814335642
https://etherscan.io/address/0x2cd7e2e65bb6ef5f233f9dea83736cf8195fe70d#tokentxns
https://etherscan.io/address/0xeca2592e788c76f2e3cd4eb6ffcdbe5cf8141c72#tokentxns
https://etherscan.io/address/0x20f2ce82c28b726930a9b476503df7b814335642#tokentxns
In case you are a lazy dude, just check the screen below for a quick reference on how it looks like.
I have traced the following transactions, which generally will go through three more wallets until reaching a final one, or even going into Binance to be liquidated in the market.
Myself being a keen facts investigator can see on that theory a couple of interesting question to raise;
1 How a guy like Ian Balína who has alerted people on wallet security, could hold of his assets in only a few sets of wallets. As the phrase says; “don’t put all your eggs in the same basket”.
2 The shared list of transactions, allegedly committed by the perpetrators also show that in the last week there were many incoming transfers. Like if Ian was preparing the scene for a beautiful theatre act, just gathering the assets to be “stolen”?
3 How is it that he did not invested in cold storage or anything similar. Still, is not yet confirmed what kind of wallet he had?
If the above is proofed to be true, this guy will not only lose his whole credibility but even worse, to pay a large chunk of his fortune in tax fines. That, if lucky, but the simulation of a crime could be faced with some jail time.
I find still, quite appealing the great Crypto Drama that this new technology provides us every day. In the next few days we will see even more theories and facts from the hands of amateur community members, and due to the size of the Heist, probably some law enforcement people.
Until that time comes, I will let you with some biting humor, credits to the mean internet heheheh.
Aside from jokes and theories, if the thing was real, there is a strong moral to the story. Do not never be too open about how much you make that will turn you into an easy target. Keeping a low profile is better, not need to show your just acquired Lambo or boat, that will only work as bate for the crooks.
Also, keep this in the case in mind for the future. Try to have many security levels in place, also to avoid having plain passwords saved in the cloud. In case you do, be ready for the unexpected. With the popularity of cryptos, many skilled hackers get tempted to try out their luck with easy targets. And let's be honest, right now there are more chances your crypto assets get stolen than your Bank go bankrupt or to melt down after a worldwide zombie attack.
Take it seriously and be responsible, in the age of Blockchain power is decentralized, as also the enforcement of rules and the punishment of criminal activities.
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