ZachXBT, a blockchain investigator, reported that he had recovered most of the money from a stolen DeGods NFT that was sold in May 2023 following a “lengthy process.”
The majority of the proceeds from the sale of a rare DeGods non-fungible token (NFT), which was taken in May 2023 after its original possessor fell for a phishing scam, have been recovered by pseudonymous on-chain researcher ZachXBT. ZachXBT shared the findings of his nine-month investigation into the theft of the DeGods #3251 NFT with his 505,200 followers on X on February 24. He said that the victim has finally received the majority of the cash back.
In May 2023, the NFT was sold for 99 Ethereum, which at the time was valued at about $177,000.
“I am happy to announce that I was able to assist in recovering a sizable portion of the cash that were taken and are now being given back to the victim.”
The victim sent a message to ZachXBT in May 2023, not long after realising his wallet had been taken, requesting ZachXBT’s assistance in getting his digital artwork back. Depending on the level of intricacy, ZachXBT’s investigations may take a different amount of time. He frequently tracks the flow of money, even through cryptocurrency mixers, and demonstrates to his followers how phishing scams work using simple diagrams.
“I am always happy to share these success stories, even though recovery can be a lengthy process,” he said. ZachXBT also revealed his intention to soon wrap off his pro bono blockchain research project.
He disclosed this in response to responses from X users expressing dissatisfaction over his failure to help them retrieve their cryptocurrency that had been stolen, even though he had repeatedly said that he offers this service without charging for it. He declared, “This is precisely why I am ending all public goods work soon.”
ZachXBT has been a major player in many facets of the cryptocurrency space, helping both private citizens and federal law enforcement agencies understand cryptocurrency crimes.
According to a story from October 2022, the French police were even using ZachXBT’s study to find the crooks responsible for the $2.5 million NFT crime.
The deputy head of France’s national cyber unit, Christophe Durand, told the AFP that the organisation learned about the issue from ZachXBT’s social media probe.