We’re always warned about leaving passwords and important documents out in the open where anybody can access them; even in our homes it’s dangerous to leave valuable documents laying around.
A Grand Prairie woman has been indicted and currently being accused of stealing $570,000 worth of Bitcoin, after she allegedly stole passwords accessing the cryptocurrency from a Dallas home.
According to NBC DFW, police were called to a home on the 3800 block of Gaspar Drive in Dallas on Jan. 25 after a person housesitting at the house reported finding a broken window and signs of a burglary .
Among the items stolen was a safe containing Bitcoin account passwords, and during a follow-up investigation, detectives learned the passwords had been used to access accounts and transfer $570,000 of Bitcoin!
Security camera footage led police to Michael Jason Neria, whom they arrested at the Winstar Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma on outstanding burglary warrants out of Frisco, Irving and Dallas in March.
Neria pointed the finger towards Grand Prairie woman Joann Vasquez, whom Neria said had all but $100,000 of the Bitcoin funds, and was in control of the account and passwords and knew that the funds came from the burglary.
Police said that Vasquez was observed on camera using her Texas driver's license to withdraw funds from a Bitcoin ATM following the burglary.
While he was in custody, police said that Neria called Vasquez and requested money from the Bitcoin accounts be sent to his account and that a short time later the funds had arrived!
Officers were able to recover $100,000 from Neria, leaving about $470,000 unaccounted for. Investigators believe Vasquez is in possession of the accounts that control the remainder of the missing Bitcoin.
Investigators say that Vasquez withdrew nearly $9,400 from Bitcoin ATMs during four visits between Jan. 25, 2021, and Feb. 1, 2021.
She was booked into the Dallas County Jail on Tuesday. A bond amount has not yet been set and it's not clear if she's obtained an attorney.
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