Florida man arrested for $220,000 crypto theft using malware in Steam games

Arrest Summary

Zyaire Wilkins, 21, was arrested by federal agents and charged with conspiracy to obtain information by computer. The criminal complaint details an operation embedding malware in video games, resulting in significant financial theft from cryptocurrency wallets.

Malware Operation Details

The FBI alleges Wilkins helped distribute malware hidden in games that infected around 8,000 devices. Between May 2024 and February 2026, the operation reportedly siphoned off at least $220,000 from approximately 80 cryptocurrency wallets.

The scheme’s malware was linked to video games such as BlockBlasters and PirateFi, prompting the FBI to seek victims once the links were established earlier this year.

Funding the Malware

Wilkins is accused of financing the malware acquisition along with promoting its use. Investigators found links to a $10,000 purchase of malware software and conversations about deceiving victims to approve transactions that emptied their wallets.

Agents seized Signal chat records that indicated marketing efforts were made across platforms like Discord and Telegram.

Impact on Victims

Estimates suggest that BlockBlasters alone caused losses between $150,000 and $200,000, affecting dozens of victims. Notably, one Twitch streamer had $32,000 in cancer treatment fundraising funds stolen due to the malware.

The investigation into the scheme continues, as law enforcement seeks to identify other individuals involved and address the underlying security vulnerabilities.

Connections to Gift Card Purchases

Payments from the scheme's Bitcoin wallet were tracked to purchases of over 150 gift cards through a service named Bitrefill. Deliveries related to these transactions were traced back to Wilkins’ family home, providing crucial evidence for the arrest.