Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Ninth Guilty Plea as DOJ Unseals New RICO Charges in $263 Million Crypto Social Engineering Case

Prosecutors expanded the enterprise case with three added defendants after arrests in Miami and Dubai, signaling an ongoing cross-border push.

Overview

  • Evan Tangeman, 22, of Newport Beach, pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy, becoming the ninth defendant, with sentencing set for April 24, 2026.
  • A second superseding indictment added Nicholas Dellecave, Mustafa Ibrahim and Danish Zulfiqar on RICO conspiracy, with Dellecave arrested in Miami on Dec. 3 and Ibrahim and Zulfiqar arrested in Dubai.
  • Prosecutors describe a network active from at least October 2023 to May 2025 that grew from gaming-platform ties into specialized roles including hackers, callers, money launderers and residential burglars, with proceeds spent on luxury rentals, nightclub services, watches and exotic cars.
  • The charges detail an Aug. 18, 2024 theft of over 4,100 BTC from a D.C. victim, worth about $263 million then and more than $368 million this week.
  • Tangeman admitted laundering at least $3.5 million by converting stolen crypto to bulk cash and securing high-end rentals under false names, and he monitored FBI searches and sought device destruction after a co-defendant’s arrest.