Key Takeaways
- The FBI subpoenas attendees of a 2022 Bitcoin developer event after reported theft from Bitcoin core developer Luke Dashjr.
- Subpoena requested personal details to investigate the theft of over 200 BTC.
- Disclosure raises concerns about privacy within the Bitcoin developer community.
Theft and Response at Bitcoin Core Developer Event
In October 2022, over 200 BTC, then worth approximately $3.3 million, was reportedly stolen from Bitcoin core developer Luke Dashjr during a developer event.
The stolen BTC's value escalated to over $14 million due to market volatility and price increases ahead of the Bitcoin halving and ETF rallies.
Luke Dashjr, who co-founded the Ocean mining pool, publicly disclosed the theft following the incident.
FBI Involvement and Community Reaction
It has now come to light that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued subpoenas for the personal information of attendees at the CoreDev Atlanta event to investigate the theft of Dashjr's Bitcoin.
Information requested included first and last names, GitHub usernames, and email addresses of the event's attendees.
Mike Schmidt, co-founder of the Bitcoin non-profit Brink, complied with the FBI's subpoena, which carried a confidentiality clause that expired one year later.
The guy who wants to tell you how to use Bitcoin couldn’t even secure his own Bitcoin and, as a consequence, got everyone at a conference he attended doxxed by the FBI. 😱
— Mike In Space (@mikeinspace) April 10, 2024
Good job, Luke! 👍 pic.twitter.com/QQGdJ7AnaT
There remains uncertainty about whether the FBI's subpoena was aimed at identifying a specific suspect or was part of a broader information-gathering effort.
