Indian Man Pleads Guilty to Creating Fake Coinbase Website, Stealing $9.5M in Crypto

Chirag Tomar, an Indian citizen, pleaded guilty to charges in the United States for creating a spoofed version of Coinbase's website, through which he stole over $9.5 million in cryptocurrency from hundreds of victims. Tomar was arrested in December 2023 at the Atlanta airport while visiting family. He faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, each carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Court documents revealed that Tomar and his accomplices operated the fake Coinbase Pro website between June 2021 and late 2023, tricking users into divulging their login credentials. The U.S. Secret Service identified Tomar as part of the scheme through his email communications and internet search history. Tomar's sentencing is pending, and he is known to have led a lavish lifestyle with the proceeds from his fraudulent activities, including purchasing luxury items and travelling extensively.