We trusted him — and he stole everything.
I am one of nearly 100 victims who were brutally scammed out of our life savings by Ronald Spektor, a 23-year-old crypto fraudster who was running his operation straight out of his father’s home in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. What he did wasn’t clever investing or a mistake — it was calculated theft.
Ronald Spektor contacted people like me from all over the country while pretending to be a representative from Coinbase, a name we trusted. He told us our cryptocurrency was under immediate threat from hackers. He created fear, urgency, and panic — and then offered a “solution.”
That solution was a lie.
He instructed us — the victims, including police officers, single mothers, and everyday working people in California, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and beyond — to move our digital assets into a “secure” wallet. What he didn’t tell us was that he controlled those wallets.
The moment our funds were transferred, Ronald Spektor emptied them.
Our savings — years of work, retirement funds, emergency money — vanished. Prosecutors say he stole approximately $16 million from victims like us. While we were left financially devastated, he was gambling away millions online.
And he wasn’t quiet about it.
Using the online handle @lolimfeelingevil, Ronald Spektor openly bragged about robbing us. He even ran a Telegram channel called “Blockchain enemies,” where he mocked his crimes and admitted to losing $6 million of our stolen money while gambling.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said it best: this was no different than someone breaking into our homes and robbing us blind. That’s exactly how it felt.
When authorities finally arrested Ronald Spektor on December 3, he pleaded not guilty to grand larceny and first-degree money laundering — despite overwhelming evidence. Prosecutors later revealed that he was allegedly planning to flee the country, discussing escape routes to Mexico, Canada, or the country of Georgia. He even sent $600,000 in cryptocurrency overseas as part of that plan.
Investigators discovered these escape attempts after seizing a new cellphone through a search warrant, uncovering text messages detailing his plans. They also revealed that he had spent months traveling across the U.S. on Greyhound buses while continuing his scam.
Even more disturbing, prosecutors say his father is now an active suspect, due to unexplained wealth possibly connected to the stolen cryptocurrency.
Because of the seriousness of the crimes and the risk of flight, a Brooklyn judge increased Ronald Spektor’s bond to $2.5 million.
As victims, we are left to pick up the pieces — financially, emotionally, and psychologically — while the man who stole from us awaits his next court appearance on January 6, 2026.
This wasn’t just a scam.
It was theft.
It was manipulation.
And it destroyed lives.