Singaporean Malone Lam pleads guilty in US court over role in US$260m cryptocurrency theft ring

The 22-year-old faces up to 20 years in prison.

Malone Lam, 22, pleaded guilty in a US federal court on Sep 8, 2026, to a RICO conspiracy charge over his role in a cryptocurrency theft ring. (Photo: Broward Sheriff's Office)

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WASHINGTON: Singaporean Malone Lam pleaded guilty in a US court on Tuesday (Sep 8) to a racketeering conspiracy charge over his role in a cryptocurrency theft ring that stole more than US$260 million from multiple victims.

The 22-year-old admitted orchestrating and leading the crime ring, which targeted people with large cryptocurrency holdings through "social engineering" attacks.

The case is believed to be the first bitcoin-related case the Department of Justice has built under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. It includes conspiracy charges involving wire fraud and money laundering.

Lam faces a maximum prison term of 20 years.

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less Much of Tuesday's nearly two-and-a-half-hour hearing in Washington, DC, focused on details of the crimes. Prosecutor Christopher Howland said Lam "played multiple roles" in the crime ring. Wearing a light olive prison jumpsuit and white T-shirt, Lam spoke several times during the hearing, largely to confirm that he understood and agreed with the prosecution's account. He detailed how he was seeing a therapist regularly and taking medication for depression, anxiety and to help with his sleeping. When the judge asked how Lam pleaded, he let out a long sigh before replying: "I plead guilty, Your Honour." Eighteen defendants have been charged in the case, with Lam the 11th to plead guilty. HOW THE SCHEME WORKED Lam organised "social engineering" attacks targeting people with large cryptocurrency holdings. He and his co-conspirators impersonated employees of trusted companies, including Google, to persuade victims to disclose personal information such as passwords, seed phrases and authentication codes. This allowed the group to gain access to victims' cryptocurrency wallets. One of the group's largest thefts came in August 2024, when Lam and his co-conspirators obtained more than 4,100 bitcoin from a victim in Washington, DC. The cryptocurrency was valued at about US$230 million at the time. Lam was arrested in September 2024, weeks after the theft. He and his co-conspirators tried to conceal their digital footprint by laundering the stolen cryptocurrency and converting it into payment cards or cash, but his lavish lifestyle attracted the attention of authorities.

Much of Tuesday's nearly two-and-a-half-hour hearing in Washington, DC, focused on details of the crimes.

Prosecutor Christopher Howland said Lam "played multiple roles" in the crime ring.

Wearing a light olive prison jumpsuit and white T-shirt, Lam spoke several times during the hearing, largely to confirm that he understood and agreed with the prosecution's account.

He detailed how he was seeing a therapist regularly and taking medication for depression, anxiety and to help with his sleeping.

When the judge asked how Lam pleaded, he let out a long sigh before replying: "I plead guilty, Your Honour."

Eighteen defendants have been charged in the case, with Lam the 11th to plead guilty.

HOW THE SCHEME WORKED

Lam organised "social engineering" attacks targeting people with large cryptocurrency holdings.

He and his co-conspirators impersonated employees of trusted companies, including Google, to persuade victims to disclose personal information such as passwords, seed phrases and authentication codes.

This allowed the group to gain access to victims' cryptocurrency wallets.

One of the group's largest thefts came in August 2024, when Lam and his co-conspirators obtained more than 4,100 bitcoin from a victim in Washington, DC. The cryptocurrency was valued at about US$230 million at the time.

Lam was arrested in September 2024, weeks after the theft.

He and his co-conspirators tried to conceal their digital footprint by laundering the stolen cryptocurrency and converting it into payment cards or cash, but his lavish lifestyle attracted the attention of authorities.

Members and associates of the conspiracy used the stolen cryptocurrency to purchase luxury watches valued between US$100,000 to over US$500,000. (Image: US Attorney's Office for District of Columbia)

Members and associates of the conspiracy used the stolen cryptocurrency on rental homes in Los Angeles, the Hamptons, and Miami, private jet rentals for travel, a team of private security guards, and a fleet of exotic cars, ranging in value from US$100,000 to US$3,800,000. (Image: US Attorney's Office for District of Columbia)

LUXURY CARS, PRIVATE JETS AND NIGHTCLUBS

Lam spent millions of dollars on luxury cars, watches and clothing, as well as private jets, security guards and rental properties in Miami, Los Angeles and the Hamptons.

He bought a fleet of luxury vehicles, with some valued at as much as US$3.8 million.

Lam also regularly spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on nights out, including US$569,000 on one occasion at a Los Angeles nightclub.

His guilty plea comes after months of uncertainty over whether he would accept a plea deal or stand trial.

The US government put forward a new plea offer in November 2025. At a hearing in May, Lam's lawyer said "significant progress" had been made in the case, although no agreement was announced at the time.

Some of Lam's alleged co-conspirators had also indicated that they were prepared to testify against him if the case went to trial.

Lam is due back in court on Dec 8 for a status hearing, when the judge is expected to set a sentencing date.

He and his co-conspirators have also been ordered to repay more than US$245 million in stolen funds to their victims.

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这名22岁的男子面临最高20年的监禁。

22岁的马龙·拉姆于2026年9月8日在美国联邦法院认罪，承认其参与加密货币盗窃团伙的RICO共谋罪。（图片：布劳沃德县警长办公室）

这段音频由人工智能工具生成。

华盛顿：新加坡人马龙·林（Malone Lam）周二（9月8日）在美国法庭认罪，承认参与加密货币盗窃团伙，该团伙从多名受害者手中窃取了超过2.6亿美元，构成敲诈勒索阴谋罪。

这名 22 岁的男子承认策划并领导了这个犯罪团伙，该团伙通过“社会工程”攻击，以持有大量加密货币的人为目标。

据信，这是美国司法部根据《反勒索及腐败组织法》（RICO法案）提起的首例与比特币相关的案件。该案包含涉及电信诈骗和洗钱的共谋指控。

林面临最高 20 年的监禁。

CNA游戏猜词游戏：逐行破解单词；流行词游戏：用给定的字母组成单词；迷你数独：小巧的谜题，强大的脑力挑战；迷你填字游戏：小网格，大挑战；单词搜索：尽可能多地找出单词。显示更多 显示更少 周二在华盛顿特区举行的近两个半小时的听证会，大部分时间都集中在犯罪细节上。检察官克里斯托弗·豪兰表示，林某在犯罪团伙中“扮演了多个角色”。林某身穿浅橄榄色囚服和白色T恤，在听证会上多次发言，主要是为了确认他理解并同意检方的陈述。他详细说明了自己如何定期接受心理治疗，并服用治疗抑郁症、焦虑症和帮助睡眠的药物。当法官询问林某的认罪情况时，他长叹一口气，然后回答说：“我认罪，法官大人。” 此案共有18名被告被起诉，林某是第11名认罪的被告。该计划的运作方式是：林某组织了针对持有大量加密货币用户的“社会工程”攻击。他和同伙冒充包括谷歌在内的知名公司员工，诱骗受害者泄露密码、助记词和验证码等个人信息。这使得该团伙能够访问受害者的加密货币钱包。该团伙最大的盗窃案之一发生在2024年8月，当时林某及其同伙从华盛顿特区的一名受害者处窃取了超过4100枚比特币。这些加密货币当时的价值约为2.3亿美元。林某在盗窃案发生几周后的2024年9月被捕。他和同伙试图通过洗钱并将窃取的加密货币兑换成支付卡或现金来掩盖他们的犯罪痕迹，但他奢靡的生活方式引起了当局的注意。

周二在华盛顿特区举行的近两个半小时的听证会，大部分时间都集中在犯罪细节上。

检察官克里斯托弗·豪兰表示，林某在该犯罪团伙中“扮演了多个角色”。

林某身穿浅橄榄色囚服和白色T恤，在庭审中多次发言，主要是为了确认他理解并同意控方的说法。

他详细描述了自己如何定期接受心理治疗，并服用药物治疗抑郁症、焦虑症和改善睡眠。

当法官问林某如何认罪时，他长叹一口气，然后回答说：“我认罪，法官大人。”

该案共有18名被告被起诉，林某是第11名认罪的被告。

该计划的运作方式

Lam组织了针对持有大量加密货币人士的“社会工程”攻击。

他和他的同谋冒充谷歌等知名公司的员工，诱骗受害者泄露密码、助记词和验证码等个人信息。

这使得该团伙得以访问受害者的加密货币钱包。

该团伙最大的一起盗窃案发生在2024年8月，当时林和他的同伙从华盛顿特区的一名受害者那里窃取了超过4100枚比特币。这些加密货币当时的价值约为2.3亿美元。

林某在盗窃案发生数周后的 2024 年 9 月被捕。

他和他的同谋试图通过洗钱将窃取的加密货币兑换成支付卡或现金来掩盖他们的数字足迹，但他奢靡的生活方式引起了当局的注意。

该团伙成员及其同伙利用窃取的加密货币购买了价值10万至50万美元以上的名贵手表。（图片：美国哥伦比亚特区检察官办公室）

该阴谋团伙成员及其同伙利用窃取的加密货币在洛杉矶、汉普顿和迈阿密租房，租用私人飞机出行，雇佣私人保安团队，并购置了一系列价值从10万美元到380万美元不等的豪车。（图片：美国哥伦比亚特区检察官办公室）

豪华轿车、私人飞机和夜总会

林郑月娥花费数百万美元购买豪车、名表和服装，以及私人飞机、保安和在迈阿密、洛杉矶和汉普顿的租赁房产。

他购买了一批豪华车辆，其中一些价值高达 380 万美元。

林还经常在夜生活中挥霍数十万美元，其中一次在洛杉矶一家夜总会就花费了 56.9 万美元。

此前数月，外界一直不确定他是否会接受认罪协议还是接受审判，最终他认罪了。

美国政府于 2025 年 11 月提出了新的认罪协议。在 5 月的一次听证会上，林郑月娥的律师表示，此案已取得“重大进展”，但当时并未宣布达成任何协议。

据称林某的同谋者也表示，如果案件进入审判阶段，他们准备出庭作证指控他。

林某将于12月8日再次出庭参加状态听证会，届时法官预计将确定宣判日期。

他和他的同谋还被勒令向受害者偿还超过 2.45 亿美元的赃款。

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