Brooklyn Court Sues Coinbase Scam Suspect Ronald Spektor for $16 Million Phishing and Money Laundering Scheme

Brooklyn Court has filed charges against Ronald Spektor in a Coinbase customer-support impersonation case that allegedly diverted nearly $16 million from about 100 users. Investigators say the suspect deployed phishing and social engineering to pose as Coinbase staff, exploiting trust to direct funds into controlled wallets. The allegation spotlights crypto fraud risks targeting exchange customers.

Spektor is charged with 31 counts, including first-degree grand larceny and first-degree money laundering, along with conspiracy to commit fraud and related offenses. Law enforcement has seized roughly $105,000 in cash and cryptocurrency valued at about $400,000, and the District Attorney’s Office is tracing additional stolen assets.

This case underscores the ongoing drive to curb crypto crime and reassess security controls around customer-support channels, with a focus on victim remediation and proactive risk management.