TRM Labs links Mabna Institute to $16.8M crypto
- TRM Labs identified $16.8 million in crypto moving through 30 addresses linked to Iran’s Mabna Institute.
- The tracked addresses cover Bitcoin, Ethereum and TRON transactions dating back to 2018.
- US prosecutors have charged 17 people linked to alleged hacking operations involving the institute.
TRM Labs linked Iran’s Mabna Institute to $16.8 million in cryptocurrency across 30 addresses dating back to 2018.
The addresses cover Bitcoin (CRYPTO:BTC), Ethereum (CRYPTO:ETH) and TRON (CRYPTO:TRX), according to TRM Labs.
TRM Labs said some tracked addresses received ransom payments linked to the 2017 HBO data breach, where hackers demanded about $6 million in Bitcoin.
US prosecutors have charged 17 people associated with the Mabna Institute with computer fraud, wire fraud and money laundering.
Five of those individuals were specifically linked to the 2017 HBO breach, according to the report.
TRM Labs said blockchain analysis allowed it to trace transactions across multiple networks despite the use of pseudonymous addresses.
The findings highlight the use of cryptocurrency in alleged cybercrime and the role of blockchain analytics in tracing digital-asset flows.
