Greek Authority Seizes $1.5 Billion in Crypto From Massive Hacking Scheme

In a groundbreaking case, the Greek Minister of Finance, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, announced today (June 24, 2025) via X (formerly Twitter), the first nationwide detection and seizure of cryptocurrencies as proceeds of theft. During his visit to the Authority for Combating Money Laundering from Criminal Activities, accompanied by its President, Prosecutor Haralambos Vourliotis, Pierrakakis highlighted recent successes in combating illegal activities. One of these achievements involved identifying and seizing a substantial amount of cryptocurrency originating from the largest theft in crypto history, valued at $1.5 billion. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) also issued a public alert regarding the freezing of transactions tied to this case. In the previous month, following intelligence received, suspicious cryptocurrency trading was detected involving a registered user on a Greek exchange platform. Analysis revealed that the user had received significant Ethereum funds linked to the largest crypto heist ever, attributed to a notorious hacking group. A court order was issued to seize the wallet and its illicit contents, with further legal actions taken. This marks Greece’s first-ever identification and seizure of cryptocurrencies as criminal proceeds, associated with the largest cyber-theft in the crypto domain. The authority’s results are impressive, with over €700 million in illicit proceeds seized in 2024, €10 million set for return to victims, and more than 30,000 suspicious transaction reports filed. The Ministry of Finance supports the authority through legislative initiatives and investments exceeding €1 million to upgrade systems and enhance operational capabilities.