Colorado Man Sues British Youths’ Parents Over Bitcoin Theft
A man from Colorado is taking legal action against the parents of two British teenagers who he alleges stole Bitcoin valued at nearly $800,000 from his digital wallet.
The Cyber Theft Incident
Andrew Schober fell victim to cyber-thieves who used malware to steal 16.4 Bitcoin from his digital wallet in January 2018 while he was transferring his cryptocurrency between virtual wallets.
To identify the culprits behind the theft, Schober hired private investigators and spent around $10,000 in the process.
The Letter and Legal Action
After the investigators identified two British minors, Benedict Thompson and Oliver Read, as the individuals responsible for the theft, Schober reached out to one of the boys’ parents in December 2019. In the letter, he offered to refrain from legal action if the stolen funds were returned.
Upon receiving no response, Schober proceeded to file a lawsuit against Thompson, Read, and their parents.
The Allegations
In his complaint, Schober accuses Thompson and Read, both skilled software developers and computer science students, of creating and deploying clipboard hijacking malware to steal his Bitcoins.
He claims that the stolen Bitcoin represented 95% of his net wealth at the time and has caused significant distress over the past three years.
Schober alleges that the parents of the accused teenagers were aware or should have been aware of their children’s involvement in illegal activities and failed to prevent them from committing cyber theft.
Legal Defense
Thompson and Read have not denied the accusations made by Schober. However, they argue that the statute of limitations on the theft had expired before the lawsuit was filed.
As the legal battle unfolds, the outcome remains uncertain, shedding light on the complexities surrounding cyber theft and the responsibilities of parents in preventing their children from engaging in illegal activities.