The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed charges against Robert Powell, Carter Rohn, and Emily Hernandez for their purported involvement in a sim-swap scheme dating back to November 2022. Accusations include fraud and identity theft, indicating the severity of their alleged actions.
Of particular interest is the suspected link between this case and the infamous $400 million FTX crypto heist that shook the cryptocurrency world. While the indictment refrains from explicitly naming FTX, it highlights a $400 million theft occurring around the same period, raising speculation about the connection.
The trio is accused of obtaining personal information from approximately 50 individuals and using it to manipulate service providers into transferring victims’ details to their own devices. With access to authentication codes for financial accounts and crypto wallets, they reportedly managed to siphon off over $400 million in digital assets.
One notable detail is Hernandez’s use of a fake ID belonging to an FTX employee to impersonate them at AT&T, gaining access to crucial account information. This revelation adds weight to suspicions of the trio’s involvement in the FTX heist.
Although not confirmed, blockchain analysis suggests that FTX may be the unnamed “Victim Company-1” mentioned in the indictment. However, recent movements of the stolen crypto assets imply they may no longer be in the possession of the accused trio.
