The Instagram account of the former US rap trio Migos was recently hacked in what appears to be an attempt to blackmail Solana co-founder Raj Gokal. The incident occurred on May 27, when Migos' Instagram account posted several images, which have since been removed. Among the images were two that seemed to show Gokal holding up his passport and driver’s license, with all personal details clearly visible.
The hacker behind the breach tagged Gokal in one of the images, accompanied by a caption that read, “you should’ve paid the 40 btc,” while another image suggested that a payment of 40 bitcoins could have prevented the situation. Additionally, a photo allegedly showing Gokal's wife holding a driver's license was shared, along with two images containing private information like phone numbers and email addresses.
The type of images shared, where individuals display personal identifying documents in front of the camera with their faces visible, are commonly used in Know Your Customer (KYC) checks by cryptocurrency exchanges. However, the source of these photos depicting Gokal and his wife remains unknown, leaving questions about how they were acquired and utilized in this extortion attempt.
Following the breach, the Solana Foundation and Gokal were reached out to for comments on the incident. It’s worth noting that Gokal had previously alerted his followers on May 20 about attempts by attackers to gain control of his email and social media accounts, warning them to be cautious of any suspicious posts.
Gokal's tweet read, "Attackers have been trying to take control of my email, social media, Google, Apple, etc. this past week. If you see anything suspect (token launch, soliciting funds, etc) that means they got through. Be careful out there." This statement suggests that the cyber threats against Gokal had been ongoing before the recent Instagram hack.
The incident underscores the growing risks of cyber threats and the need for individuals, especially those involved in the cryptocurrency space, to remain vigilant against potential attacks. As the investigation into the hack continues, the crypto community is closely monitoring developments to understand the full scope of the breach and its implications for Gokal and Solana.
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