Prison-bound Hacker Orchestrates $1.2 Million Bitcoin Coup

An exclusive revelation by The Hindu details the daring cryptocurrency escapade of Srikrishna Ramesh, known as Sriki, confined within a quarantine cell at Parappana Agrahara after his 2020 arrest. The notorious hacker allegedly orchestrated the movement of Bitcoins worth $1.2 million USD in just 22 minutes, triggering a Bitcoin scam that has left authorities scrambling.

Srikrishna Ramesh

Sriki's audacious move involved an alleged bribe to a constable who facilitated the smuggling of a laptop into the prison at the behest of influential figures. This covert operation unfolded within the walls of Parappana Agrahara, where Sriki, initially apprehended in 2020 for a drug case, found himself in the midst of a cryptocurrency scandal.

The saga of Sriki's criminal evolution began with a drug-related arrest by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) in 2020. Initially suspected of procuring drugs through the DarkNet, subsequent investigations unveiled his hidden identity as a hacker. The CID, concurrently probing financial fraud, became entangled in the complex web of Sriki's illicit activities.

In a political twist, the Congress government, in June 2023, initiated a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe. This move came after the SIT filed a complaint at the Cottonpet police station, leading to an FIR against CCB officials accused of tampering with evidence during their initial investigation of Sriki.

Sriki's clandestine operation unfolded within a 20-22 minute window, during which he manipulated stolen Bitcoins across various wallets. The laptop, smuggled into his quarantine cell, became the conduit for this audacious heist. The subsequent suspicion revolves around the possibility of money laundering into India through an elusive secret network.

The Bitcoin shuffle occurred between 2020-2021, a period where Sriki was in and out of prison, spending almost a year entangled in legal proceedings. Amidst the legal complexities, he found ways to orchestrate a significant Bitcoin move, leaving authorities baffled.

Sriki's intriguing narrative involves not only confinement within a quarantine cell but also being shuttled between the residence of a senior prison officer and the said cell. The SIT, currently scrutinizing irregularities in the CCB investigation, is set to question three senior officers regarding the unfolding scandal.