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An employee embezzled $154 million from Sony then converted it to bitcoin — now the feds are trying to return it
Yahoo ^ | December 21, 2021 | Natasha Dailey

Posted on 12/22/2021 12:38:55 PM PST by lowbridge

In May, a worker at Sony Life Insurance Company in Tokyo allegedly diverted $154 million to a personal account at a Southern California bank when the company was instead trying to transfer the funds between financial accounts, according to a Monday press release from the US Justice Department.

The worker, identified as Rei Ishii, then converted the money to bitcoin, the release said.

Law enforcement from the US and Japan eventually found the "private key," or password, to the bitcoin address that held the 3,879 bitcoin tokens — now worth more than $180 million — and seized the funds on December 1.

As of Monday, the US had filed a civil forfeiture complaint in the Southern District of California to protect Sony's interest in the stolen property.

"Criminals should take note: You cannot rely on cyptocurrency to hide your ill-gotten gains from law enforcement," Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said in the statement.

(Excerpt) Read more at finance.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Japan; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bitcoin; sony

1 posted on 12/22/2021 12:38:55 PM PST by lowbridge
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To: lowbridge

Profit of $26 million in 5 months!

Are they going to pay him a bonus while he’s in jail?


2 posted on 12/22/2021 12:43:58 PM PST by PGR88
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To: lowbridge

blockchain = every transaction on that “coin” is chained together forever and available to anybody.


3 posted on 12/22/2021 12:44:44 PM PST by glorgau
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To: lowbridge

Never let them find your private key. It’s a lot more than a password. It’s more like 24 passwords.


4 posted on 12/22/2021 12:47:28 PM PST by Vermont Lt
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To: lowbridge

There was a publicity stunt back in 2010 which involved someone paying 10,000 bitcoins for a couple of pizzas. The 10,000 bitcoins were worth a total of about $40 back then, now worth about $380 million.


5 posted on 12/22/2021 1:03:43 PM PST by Roadrunner383 (;)
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To: lowbridge

Now he get’s a promotion for exceeding his quarterly financial objectives....


6 posted on 12/22/2021 1:26:06 PM PST by G Larry (The "Racism" charge is code for "No Intelligent Argument")
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To: lowbridge

Unless employee gives up his passphrase they cannot ever get those funds.
If he doesn’t give up the passphrase becomes a dead wallet and the price of bitcoin become stronger


7 posted on 12/22/2021 1:28:50 PM PST by NoLibZone (Ruling class noticed our total lack of pushback for how the election & Covid was handled.)
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To: lowbridge
Any relation to O-Ren Ishii?

https://killbill.fandom.com/wiki/O-Ren_Ishii

8 posted on 12/22/2021 1:47:07 PM PST by monkeyshine (live and let live is dead)
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To: PGR88

Put $154 million in the Company account and divide the 26 million, EQUALLY, amongst every employee. Ah so, Sony!
PS put the embezzler in jail for 20 years, rice and beans, beans and rice, no Sake...


9 posted on 12/22/2021 3:03:56 PM PST by BatGuano (Fauci = Mengele (Angel of Death))
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To: lowbridge

found the key?

Citibank, found it. Bank transfers have a paper trail.


10 posted on 12/22/2021 4:07:46 PM PST by blueplum ("...this moment is your moment: it belongs to you... " President Donald J. Trump, Jan 20, 2017) )
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To: lowbridge

The smart move would be for Rei Ishii to escape to Russia and then no one can touch him.


11 posted on 12/22/2021 4:10:14 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: monkeyshine

Off the top of my head? No.


12 posted on 12/22/2021 10:18:37 PM PST by Migraine
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