A Zimbabwean eye doctor lost more than half a million dollars when someone stole his cryptocurrency. Dr Solomon Guramatunhu discovered that $583,660 had disappeared from his digital wallet. Melissa Messe Samantha Chiyangwa faces charges for taking the money without permission. She appeared before a Harare magistrate and remains locked up until her bail hearing. The woman is married to Lloyd Chiyangwa, who had helped the doctor create his cryptocurrency accounts.
The doctor first bought digital currency from a British company during 2020. He asked Lloyd Chiyangwa to help him set up five different cryptocurrency wallets after returning to Zimbabwe. Court papers show that Melissa Chiyangwa secretly accessed one wallet called Metamask between October 2021 and January 2024. She moved the stolen tokens to a cryptocurrency exchange called Waybit with her husband's help. Police believe she used several electronic devices to carry out the crime.
The theft remained hidden until January 2024 when Dr Guramatunhu tried to move his cryptocurrency. He found that all his digital money had vanished from the account. Investigators discovered that Melissa Chiyangwa had used multiple phones and computers to steal the funds. She used an iPhone 14, iPhone 12 Pro, Macintosh computer, Linux device and Android phone during the theft. Authorities think she continues moving stolen digital money using other devices they have not found.
The doctor first bought digital currency from a British company during 2020. He asked Lloyd Chiyangwa to help him set up five different cryptocurrency wallets after returning to Zimbabwe. Court papers show that Melissa Chiyangwa secretly accessed one wallet called Metamask between October 2021 and January 2024. She moved the stolen tokens to a cryptocurrency exchange called Waybit with her husband's help. Police believe she used several electronic devices to carry out the crime.
The theft remained hidden until January 2024 when Dr Guramatunhu tried to move his cryptocurrency. He found that all his digital money had vanished from the account. Investigators discovered that Melissa Chiyangwa had used multiple phones and computers to steal the funds. She used an iPhone 14, iPhone 12 Pro, Macintosh computer, Linux device and Android phone during the theft. Authorities think she continues moving stolen digital money using other devices they have not found.
