Maryland man charged in $50 million Uranium Finance hack after U.S. seized $31 million in crypto

Policy Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email Maryland man charged in $50 million Uranium Finance hack after U.S. seized $31 million in crypto Prosecutors say Jonathan Spalletta exploited smart contract bugs twice in April 2021, laundering funds through Tornado Cash and spending proceeds on rare collectibles. By Sam Reynolds , AI Boost | Edited by Omkar Godbole Mar 31, 2026, 5:33 a.m. Make preferred on What to know : Federal prosecutors have charged Jonathan Spalletta, 36, of Rockville, Md., with computer fraud and money laundering over the 2021 hacks that drained more than $50 million from the Uranium Finance decentralized exchange and forced it to shut down. The indictment follows a February 2025 seizure of about $31 million in crypto tied to the exploit, marking the first time a defendant has been publicly linked to the years-old DeFi case. Authorities say Spalletta exploited Uranium’s rewards mechanism, laundered the proceeds through complex crypto transactions including Tornado Cash, and spent millions on rare collectibles such as a Black Lotus Magic: The Gathering card, first-edition Pokémon sets and an ancient Roman coin, before surrendering to authorities in Manhattan. A Maryland man has been charged with carrying out the 2021 hacks that drained more than $50 million from decentralized exchange Uranium Finance and forced the platform to shut down, the U.S. Department of Justice said Monday. Jonathan Spalletta, 36, of Rockville, Maryland, faces one count of computer fraud and one count of money laundering, according to an indictment unsealed by the Southern District of New York. The charges follow a February 2025 seizure of approximately $31 million in crypto tied to the exploit, linking a years-old DeFi case to a named defendant for the first time. The attack on Uranium Finance emptied key pools tied to BNB, BUSD and other assets and left Uranium unable to continue operating. Prosecutors allege Spalletta first exploited Uranium’s rewards mechanism on April 8, 2021, draining roughly $1.4 million before later negotiating what authorities describe as a sham “bug bounty” that allowed him to keep about $386,000. He later wrote to an associate, “I did a crypto heist … Crypto is all fake internet money anyway,” according to the indictment. Authorities allege Spalletta laundered the proceeds through a series of transactions, including the use of crypto mixer Tornado Cash, before spending the funds on high-end collectibles. Those purchases, according to the indictment, included a Black Lotus Magic: The Gathering card for about $500,000, 18 sealed Alpha booster packs for roughly $1.5 million, first-edition Pokémon sets worth over $1 million and a Roman “Eid Mar” coin commemorating the assassination of Julius Caesar for about $601,500. Spalletta surrendered Monday and is expected to appear before a U.S. magistrate judge in Manhattan. Crime AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards . For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy . More For You The Definitive Stablecoin Landscape Series: North America By CoinDesk Research Mar 26, 2026 Commissioned by Ripple As stablecoins evolve into core financial infrastructure, North America leads. This report maps the regulation, market shifts, and players driving adoption. Why it matters : Stablecoins are entering their third phase of evolution - the institutionalization era - becoming increasingly embedded into core financial infrastructure. As institutions prioritize transparency and compliance, regulated issuers like USDC, RLUSD, and PYUSD are steadily gaining share with RLUSD surpassing $1B in market cap within its first year. North America, leading in regulatory frameworks and institutional distribution, is at the center of it all. View Full Report More For You KuCoin operator barred from U.S. after CFTC order, following $297 Million DOJ case By Sam Reynolds , AI Boost | Edited by Omkar Godbole 14 minutes ago KuCoin operator Peken Global Limited cannot cater to U.S. users on its platform unless it registers as a foreign board of trade. What to know : A federal court approved a CFTC consent order permanently barring KuCoin operator Peken Global Limited from allowing U.S. users on its platform unless it registers as a foreign board of trade. The order imposes a $500,000 civil penalty and follows KuCoin’s January 2025 guilty plea in a separate criminal case... 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