Coinbase partnered with Brooklyn DA to target crypto scams

SHEEPSHEAD BAY — CRYPTOCURRENCY TRADING PLATFORM COINBASE says it worked closely with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office and its Virtual Currency Unit to support the investigation into a $15 million cryptocurrency impersonation scheme tied to a Sheephead Bay defendant, Ronald Spektor. In December, Spektor, 23, was charged with allegedly posing as a customer-care representative for Coinbase in order to trick roughly 100 victims nationwide into surrendering their credentials, enabling unauthorized withdrawals between April 2023 and December 2025.

Coinbase assisted investigators by flagging suspicious activity and preserving on-chain data, underscoring CEO Brian Armstrong’s warning that crypto crimes leave permanent digital trails and will be prosecuted.

The case reflects the growing role of Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez’s Virtual Currency Unit, launched in fall 2023 to address a surge in crypto-related complaints. The unit uses blockchain analytics, domain seizures and digital forensics to trace illicit transactions and dismantle scam infrastructure, including “ pig butchering” schemes that have cost victims millions nationwide.

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