In the most recent crypto-related case, Amir Hossein Golshan, a 25-year-old Los Angeles man, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison and ordered to pay $1.2 million in restitution.
Golshan orchestrated a series of scams in which he posed as an Apple support representative, stealing non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and crypto through tactics such as SIM swapping and social media account takeovers.
Over the course of several years, Golshan’s crimes targeted hundreds of victims, resulting in approximately $740,000 in losses.
He gained unauthorized access to victims’ digital accounts by tricking them into disclosing personal information such as SIM card details and two-factor authentication codes. Golshan then proceeded to steal valuable digital assets, causing his victims significant financial harm.
The Department of Justice emphasized the gravity of Golshan’s crimes, claiming that they went beyond simple monetary theft.
Prosecutors contended that Golshan’s ruthless cruelty instilled constant fear and worry in his victims, demonstrating a total disregard for the law and basic human dignity.
Golshan used impersonating Apple support personnel to gain access to victims’ Apple iCloud accounts as one of his fraudulent tactics.
He defrauded several people by stealing NFTs, cryptocurrency, and other valuable digital property through this scheme. Five victims suffered losses ranging from $2,000 to $389,000 as a result of Golshan’s actions.
In one case, Golshan called a victim from Apple Support’s official phone number, pretending to be an Apple Support employee.
He persuaded the victim to reveal a two-step authentication code, allowing him to gain unauthorized access to the iCloud account.
Following that, Golshan changed the account’s email address and stole an NFT worth approximately $319,000, as well as approximately $70,000 in crypto assets.
