Recent developments in the world of cryptocurrency have shed light on a series of high-profile hacks and scams involving well-known individuals such as actress Sydney Sweeney and actor Bob Odenkirk. The evidence, uncovered by on-chain detective ZachXBT, points to convicted UK hacker Gurvinder Bhangu, also known as Gurv, as the mastermind behind these illicit activities.
In July, Sydney Sweeney fell victim to a SIM swap attack, resulting in a fraudulent meme coin called SWEENEY being posted from her account. This led to a spike in the coin’s price, followed by a rapid decline. Investigations by ZachXBT revealed that the team wallets behind the SWEENEY scam offloaded over $515,000 worth of the coin before converting it to Bitcoin and Ethereum on a Solana exchange.
Despite his criminal past, Gurv seemed unbothered by the consequences of his actions. Social media posts suggested that he was taking credit for other high-profile incidents, including those involving Hulk Hogan and 50 Cent. However, the evidence linking him to these claims remains scarce, as per ZachXBT’s analysis.
The Trail of Cryptocurrency
Using sophisticated timing analysis techniques, ZachXBT was able to trace the proceeds from the SWEENEY scam to various cryptocurrency exchanges. Screenshots circulating online showed Gurv receiving codes for Sweeney’s account on Telegram, along with a SIM swap receipt from Verizon. These pieces of evidence, coupled with Gurv’s conversations about his past criminal activities, painted a damning picture of his involvement in the hacks.
On the same day as the Sweeney hack, Bob Odenkirk’s account was also compromised, with links to meme coins KIRK and SAUL being posted. While the hackers were able to profit from this incident, the mishandling of the scam resulted in only a small amount of funds being acquired. Interestingly, the same Ethereum address used in the Sweeney hack was linked to the Odenkirk incident, indicating a pattern of behavior by the perpetrators.
As the investigation unfolded, it became clear that the stolen funds were being funneled into crypto casinos and gift card purchases. The wallets associated with the hacks currently hold a staggering $488,000, raising questions about the security measures in place to prevent such illicit activities in the cryptocurrency space.
