Public STATEMENT Regarding Bitcoinica account hack at MtGox

[repentance]

Its hard to say which jurisdiction will handle this . Interpol?

Interpol is just a clearing house which co-ordinates co-operation between the law enforcement agencies of different nations.  Jurisdiction would belong to the nation from which the crime is deemed to have been committed or to have taken place (where there are multiple jurisdictions involved, one place can cede jurisdiction to another).

Jurisdiction doesn't become an issue until a criminal investigation has been conducted.  Mt Gox is the only party so far which acknowledges having filed a police report.  I suspect that the release of this information will prompt people to file reports with the appropriate computer crime units in their own countries (I know one person had already reported the Bitcoinica hacks to the DoJ in the US).  It's those law enforcement agencies who'll determine if any charges are laid and where.

It would certainly be wise for Zhou to retain a lawyer at this point.

[1714116072]

1714116072

[k9quaint]

Stunned that anybody can suspend dis-belief in this matter to even type the words that Zhou might be innocent in this. Scammer Boy just got caught red-handed, time for some biblical justice to get served up.

Agree, he better stay in China if he does not want to be extradited.

Does all the Bitcoinica drama actually boil down to "I gave some BTC to some guy in China, and he won't give them back!" ??

[zhoutong]

could Z have also been behind the other bitcoina "hacks"?

No, none of the hacks was performed by me.

[Transisto]

could Z have also been behind the other bitcoina "hacks"?

No, none of the hacks was performed by me.

Thanks for this useful post.

[fellowtraveler]

I feel compelled to write, that people should be very careful about their words and actions.

The amounts of money involved here -- people are murdered over these sorts of things every day.

The Bitcoin community needs to get its act together on security. Censorship-resistant is good, but it's not enough.

All it will take is one Bitcoin-related murder, and things will change in our community forever.

Even though many are murdered for dollars every day.

[ArticMine]

Here is the link to the official Singapore Government Website http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/ There are many offenses for which caning is part of the punishment.

[LightRider]

I feel compelled to write, that people should be very careful about their words and actions.

The amounts of money involved here -- people are murdered over these sorts of things every day.

The Bitcoin community needs to get its act together on security. Censorship-resistant is good, but it's not enough.

All it will take is one Bitcoin-related murder, and things will change in our community forever.

Even though many are murdered for dollars every day.

Such is the aberrant behavior promoted and supported by the distorted values of a monetary system.

[Transisto]

I feel compelled to write, that people should be very careful about their words and actions.
...
All it will take is one Bitcoin-related murder, and things will change in our community forever.
...

Good advice, the community could change in a good way too.

It's sometime impressive the things peoples think getting away with. (with a legal slap on the hand)

[MemoryDealers]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Bitcoinica Hacker,

I am owed 24841 BTC by Bitcoinica,
So far I have received 1549.3209 back from Zhou Tong and 1 BTC from an anonymous donor.

Please return the remaining 23,290.6791 BTC to 16HMoS4TryH7wWsAv2PtvxiHX8QGXMGczi

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG/MacGPG2 v2.0.17 (Darwin)
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-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

[zhoutong]

So are you saying that you used a different email when you sold the LR for your friend?

How would a hacker benefit from using the SJ email to have a wire sent to your bank account?

I use my own Liberty Reserve account for all my own transactions, including those on behalf of my friend.

I placed the order from my own LR to send to my own bank account, and it's a genuine transaction unrelated to the hack.

The hacker has attempted to withdraw money from the SJ email to his bank account or another bank account that he controls. I have posted the detailed information in the statement.

Let me see if I understand this correctly. You are claiming that the VERY next day from the hack, you exchanged an ungodly amount of Liberty Reserve "for a friend" using three different well known Liberty Reserve exchangers (as per your own admission on our ticket system), and yet, this is totally unrelated and purely coincidental?

By the way, you have stated on a previous post that the amount exchanged in Liberty Reserve is "far superior" to the one stated in the OP. What you failed to mention is that BTC were also stolen from the Bitcoinica account, and that those bitcoins can be easily converted to LR using a plethora of services online (including the one that the "hacker" who allegedly hacked your email account) used.

We have been in business since 2007 and have never froze a single payment. Believe me when I say that the information (both publicized and some kept private for legal reason) is absolutely overwhelming.

I must be extremely stupid to hack the Mt. Gox account and cash out the very next day at an exchange with very close ties with Bitcoin community. (Isn't that shooting myself?) I used three different exchangers because some of them didn't have sufficient reserves in their bank and I didn't fully trust them either. AurumXchange was the exchange I trusted the most because Bitcoinica had a close business partnership with you previously.

There's nothing coincidental about your evidence.

Also, if you shared this with me earlier in the ticket instead of posting a "statement" like this I could co-operate with the investigation much better. I didn't have a single clue that you are indeed correlating the hack with my private transaction at your exchange.

[repentance]

Zhou, whether you're innocent or guilty you need to get a lawyer and shut the fuck up.  There is no way in which continuing to post here regarding this incident can possibly benefit you at this time.

You posted the other day that what you feared most from the Bitcoinica clusterfuck was criminal charges which would affect your future.  That's now a distinct possibility, so stop worrying about arguing with people on the internet and spend your time and energy on engaging a lawyer who can help you defend yourself against these accusations.  This isn't a game.

[crazy_rabbit]

I feel compelled to write, that people should be very careful about their words and actions.

The amounts of money involved here -- people are murdered over these sorts of things every day.

The Bitcoin community needs to get its act together on security. Censorship-resistant is good, but it's not enough.

All it will take is one Bitcoin-related murder, and things will change in our community forever.

Even though many are murdered for dollars every day.

I think it's fair enough to also mention that people shouldn't immediately discount the possibility that if Zhou is responsible that he could have been forced somehow into doing it. Just as the amounts of money are large enough to perhaps incite someone to take undue retribution, they are large enough to have attractive the interest of people who would extort a person for it. I know it sounds far fetched, and I'm probably grabbing at straws, but perhaps someone could have forced him to do it.

[crazy_rabbit]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Bitcoinica Hacker,

I am owed 24841 BTC by Bitcoinica,
So far I have received 1549.3209 back from Zhou Tong and 1 BTC from an anonymous donor.

Please return the remaining 23,290.6791 BTC to 16HMoS4TryH7wWsAv2PtvxiHX8QGXMGczi

wow that's breathtaking.

[LoupGaroux]

Zhou, whether you're innocent or guilty you need to get a lawyer and shut the fuck up.  There is no way in which continuing to post here regarding this incident can possibly benefit you at this time.

You posted the other day that what you feared most from the Bitcoinica clusterfuck was criminal charges which would affect your future.  That's now a distinct possibility, so stop worrying about arguing with people on the internet and spend your time and energy on engaging a lawyer who can help you defend yourself against these accusations.  This isn't a game.

Good advice. Damn good advice. You need to lawyer up, shut the fuck up, and pray to whatever God you hold holy that they lunatic fringe in this community doesn't decide to take it out you one coin at a very painful time.

And stop telling lies that will further entrap you. You are not good at fabricating bullshit, and when this all gets brought out in court you are going to go down faster than a ten cent whore on payday.

[MagicalTux]

I must be extremely stupid to hack the Mt. Gox account and cash out the very next day at an exchange with very close ties with Bitcoin community. (Isn't that shooting myself?) I used three different exchangers because some of them didn't have sufficient reserves in their bank and I didn't fully trust them either. AurumXchange was the exchange I trusted the most because Bitcoinica had a close business partnership with you previously.

There's nothing coincidental about your evidence.

Also, if you shared this with me earlier in the ticket instead of posting a "statement" like this I could co-operate with the investigation much better. I didn't have a single clue that you are indeed correlating the hack with my private transaction at your exchange.

Whatever the circumstances may be, AurumXchange deemed the situation too dangerous to decide to unlock the funds.

As long as you can prove the origin of the funds you've been transferring, there shouldn't be any issue.

[jimbobway]

Crazy times.

[dancingnancy]

Damn.  I have trust in ZT for reason still.  Innocent until proven guilty, IMO.  There is a chance there could be someone close to him fucking him over.  It would have to be someone real close, perhaps the person you were giving this money to?  He would know this would look suspicious because he timed it as such.

If there is a way for GMail to get involved to hash out the IP situation that would be ideal.  

ZT- if you did this buddy, best thing to do is to seriously pay everyone back and accept whatever leaner penalties come your way.  Way too much ahead in your life to be messing around with $200,000.  In your best years ahead that would be a monthly take home easy.  I am still giving you the benefit of the doubt, but if you really did man, well seriously, it is time to give up and return it all now.  You can still salvage your life.

[zhoutong]

I must be extremely stupid to hack the Mt. Gox account and cash out the very next day at an exchange with very close ties with Bitcoin community. (Isn't that shooting myself?) I used three different exchangers because some of them didn't have sufficient reserves in their bank and I didn't fully trust them either. AurumXchange was the exchange I trusted the most because Bitcoinica had a close business partnership with you previously.

There's nothing coincidental about your evidence.

Also, if you shared this with me earlier in the ticket instead of posting a "statement" like this I could co-operate with the investigation much better. I didn't have a single clue that you are indeed correlating the hack with my private transaction at your exchange.

Whatever the circumstances may be, AurumXchange deemed the situation too dangerous to decide to unlock the funds.

As long as you can prove the origin of the funds you've been transferring, there shouldn't be any issue.

I'll try to ask my friend if he's okay with publicizing the related transactions, or I can wait until the investigation is concluded (or the real hacker being found).

Anyway I have already sent out the certified copy of my AML documents and they should arrive in 2-3 days. I hope my Mt. Gox account can be unblocked then.

[kiba]

I'll try to ask my friend if he's okay with publicizing the related transactions, or I can wait until the investigation is concluded (or the real hacker being found).

Anyway I have already sent out the certified copy of my AML documents and they should arrive in 2-3 days. I hope my Mt. Gox account can be unblocked then.

No offense, you should shut up and get a lawyer? Well, if you're still posting after that, I doubt no advice will help you now.

[naima53]

wow .... This is an attempt to falsely accuse Zhou ... What are you afraid? This man is not so stupid as to use the clean ip address. And publish his photos after it ... In any case, now it is excluded from the list.