Argentine Influencer Accused of Stealing $32,000 in Cryptocurrency from Cancer Patient
BUENOS AIRES – An Argentine influencer living in Miami is facing accusations of orchestrating a cryptocurrency scam that defrauded a cancer patient of $32,000 intended for medical treatment. The alleged perpetrator, identified as Valentín, presents himself as an influencer and Instagram star, according to reports circulating within the cryptocurrency community and confirmed by computer security experts.
The victim, content creator Raivo Plavnieks, revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that he was relieved of funds earned through the platform @pumpdotfun. “After this, I was emptied more than $32,000 of my creator rates won in @pumpdotfun and everything changed quickly,” Plavnieks wrote. The incident sparked a swift response from the crypto community and cybersecurity professionals who mobilized to identify the attacker.
Systems engineer and programmer Maximiliano Fortman stated on X that preliminary investigations suggest the suspect is an Argentine national residing in Miami. User Santi siri further alleged the attacker deployed malware disguised as a video game to drain cryptocurrency wallets, specifically highlighting the devastating impact on the cancer patient.
The cryptocurrency community claims to have located the individual responsible and is cooperating with authorities, though official charges have not yet been filed. The case underscores the growing vulnerability of cryptocurrency users to sophisticated scams and the challenges of cross-border law enforcement in the digital realm.
