In a significant development within the blockchain and social media realm, prominent blockchain detective ZachXBT has made a startling revelation. He has uncovered a hacking spree that has targeted popular accounts on X and Instagram. This malicious activity has not only affected individual celebrities but has also fueled a wave of pump-and-dump schemes linked to meme coins launched on Pump.fun. The consequences of these attacks have been far-reaching, with unsuspecting investors losing a substantial amount of money and social media platforms struggling to contain the damage.

Unraveling the Web of Hacking and Meme Coin Schemes

Social Media Account Takeovers and Breaches

1: ZachXBT's detailed thread on X has shed light on the start of social media account takeovers (ATOs) in August 2024. A disturbing pattern has emerged where accounts are first breached, followed by the promotion of bogus tokens. The proceeds from these token sales are then moved to anonymous wallets. This systematic approach has led to a series of interconnected attacks that have had a significant impact on various entities. 2: One of the first casualties of these attacks was the global fast food giant McDonald’s. Its Instagram account was hacked and used to promote the GRIMACE token. This operation alone netted the bad actors about $690,000, which was quickly consolidated into two wallets. Such large-scale financial gains from these malicious activities highlight the seriousness of the problem.

Connected Operations and Celebrity Involvement

1: Soon after, the criminals managed to compromise Dean Norris's X account and used it to promote SCHRADER. This meme coin was a nod to popular culture as it was named after a character the actor played in the hit TV show “Breaking Bad.” The connection between these operations and the subsequent attacks on other accounts shows the extent of the hackers' reach. 2: Eight-time Grammy Awards winner Usher's account was also used to shill the USHER coin. 110 SOL used to snipe it came from the same address that received the funds reaped from the McDonald’s attack. The money made from this scam, about 4868 SOL, was then deposited into a wallet that was later connected to subsequent attacks on the Enoshima Aquarium and Truth Terminal creator Andy Ayrey's social accounts.

Brazen Attacks and Token Promotions

1: The attack on Andy Ayrey's account was particularly brazen. The exploiters promoted six different meme coins over several days, including RNA, TRUTH, INFINITY, and WOAH. They reportedly made more than $2.1 million from these tokens and deposited $750,000 of that amount into a casino address. This shows the sophistication and scale of the hacking operations. 2: The last recorded incident was on November 3 when Wiz Khalifa's X account was compromised and used to promote two meme coins, WIZ and WIZZLE. ZachXBT directly linked the Wiz Khalifa ATO to the Ayrey incident and another scam that took over the Instagram account of the owner of Kabosu, the famous Shiba Inu that inspired the Dogecoin branding and used it to promote the fake KAI token.In total, unsuspecting investors reportedly lost at least $3.5 million, and the battle to combat these hacking activities continues. ZachXBT has promised to reveal the identities of those behind the compromises later today, providing some hope for those affected and a step towards bringing justice to the situation.SPECIAL OFFER (Sponsored)Binance Free $600 (CryptoPotato Exclusive): Use this link to register a new account and receive $600 exclusive welcome offer on Binance (full details).LIMITED OFFER for CryptoPotato readers at Bybit: Use this link to register and open a $500 FREE position on any coin!Enjoy reading? Share with your friends.custom-author-info { border-top:none; margin:0px; margin-bottom:25px; background: #f1f1f1;}.custom-author-info.author-title { margin-top:0px; color:#3b3b3b; background:#fed319; padding:5px 15px; font-size: 20px;}.author-info.author-avatar { margin: 0px 25px 0px 15px;}.custom-author-info.author-avatar img { border-radius: 50%; border: 2px solid #d0c9c9; padding: 3px;}