Russian Actor Loses Over $250k To Crypto Scam

In a distressing turn of events, the scammer asked the Russian actor to deposit an additional 0.5 BTC to initiate the withdrawal of his initial investment, the scammer instructed the actor . This unfortunate incident came to light on Monday through a telegram post by Baza, a prominent Russian online news agency.

Bitcoin FOMO

As per the post, Tkachenko’s foray into the world of cryptocurrency investment began in late 2021 when he was introduced to entrepreneur Grigory Muluzyan, by his colleague.  With hopes of financial gains, Tkachenko placed his trust in the trader by depositing 7.5 BTC into the entrepreneur’s wallet and granting him unfettered access. Initially, the actor received consistent returns, amounting to 10% of his monthly income, supposedly generated through cryptocurrency trading.

However, the seemingly lucrative venture took a downturn months later with profits dwindling. Notably, Tkachenko’s first big shocker came while filming in Yalta, Crimea, when his access to the account was abruptly blocked, and along with it, 10 BTC frozen. Muluzyan attributed this setback to a restriction placed on users in Crimea and demanded the actor to deposit an additional 0.5 BTC to unlock the said funds.

Behind The Scenes

In the summer of 2022, Tkachenko and his friend were presented with the opportunity to buy shares in Muluzyan’s crypto business for a total of $150,000. However, as the price of Bitcoin plummeted in the following months, Muluzyan advised the actor to sell his coins.

Tkachenko soon realized that his investments had vanished into thin air, with no returns in sight, and the promised cryptocurrency business seemed non-existent. Frustrated the 41-year-old actor reported the incident to the police, finally coming to terms with the deception that had cost him approximately $262,000.

That said, while most celebrities are often implicated in promoting fraudulent crypto projects such FTX, others have found themselves faced troubles just like Tkachenko. Last September popular American actor Bill Murray fell prey to crypto thieves who stole 119.2 ETH (approximately $185,000) raised during his NFT charity auction.