India’s notorious cryptocurrency hacker Srikrishna Ramesh aka Sriki moved $1.2 million worth of Bitcoin from inside a prison. Sriki was arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Criminal Investigation Department in 2020 for hacking Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies worth millions. The scammer was first arrested by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) for procuring drugs through the DarkNet. However, in the course of the investigation, it was revealed that he was also involved in cryptocurrency scams.
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Nonetheless, despite being in a quarantine prison in the southern city of Bengaluru, Sriki managed to move $1.2 million worth of Bitcoin. It is reported that Sriki bribed a police constable to bring him a laptop inside his cell. The constable brought in a laptop with internet connectivity and the scammer moved Bitcoin worth $1.2 million at the behest of some influential persons. He further laundered the money in prison and the ordeal was completed in 20 minutes.
In 20 minutes, he transferred stolen Bitcoins to different wallet addresses. It is suspected that through these wallets, money may have been laundered into India through a secret yet unidentified network. The SIT is now investigating the matter and is inspecting the wallets for further details.
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Bitcoin Moved Inside a Prison in 20 Minutes
The crime at the prison occurred in 2020-2021 months after he was imprisoned for Bitcoin and drug scams. An investigation is now underway and authorities are questioning Sriki about his connections.
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“Sriki was always kept inside a quarantine cell and many were contacting him. One day, a constable was asked to smuggle a laptop inside. On the day, when some Bitcoins worth ₹10 crore ($1.2 million) were moved, the laptop was with Sriki inside the cell for about 20-22 minutes and it was brought out later,” said a source to The Hindu news outlet.