Get All Access for $5/mo

A Guy Named "Baby Al Capone" Pulled Off a $24 Million Crypto Heist On this week's episode of "Dirty Money," learn the story of a massive scam pulled off by some gamer buddies who turned very unfriendly when the heat turned up.

By Dan Bova

Have you ever heard of something called SIM-swapping? It sounds like something that would happen late at night at a 1970s party in the suburbs, but it is much dirtier than that. On this week's episode, we examine the intricacies of what a SIM-swapping phone hack is and how a bunch of minor players were able to spearhead a major $24 million crypto heist.

Related: Why Do We Let Ourselves Get Scammed?

Based on an incredible story reported by Margi Murphy and Drake Bennett for Businessweek (read it here), we tell the tale of Michael Terpin, who after literally watching his crypto millions disappear before his eyes, launched a tireless campaign to find and punish the criminals who did it. The twists and turns of this story will leave your head spinning and make you think about ditching your smartphone for a flip phone. Or better yet, a landline. And a word to the wise? Never get in business with someone nicknamed "Baby Al Capone." Also, if you are in a crypto crime syndicate called Community? Your fellow criminals might be your worst enemies.

Subscribe to Dirty Money on Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play

About Dirty Money

Dirty Money is a new podcast series from Entrepreneur Media telling the tales of legendary scammers, con artists, and barely-legal lowlifes who stop at nothing to bilk their marks of millions. Hosted by Entrepreneur editors Dan Bova and Jon Small, the podcast takes a deep dive into the deviants behind the deeds.

Dan Bova

Entrepreneur Staff

VP of Special Projects

Dan Bova is the VP of Special Projects at Entrepreneur.com. He previously worked at Jimmy Kimmel Live, Maxim, and Spy magazine. His latest books for kids include This Day in History, Car and Driver's Trivia ZoneRoad & Track Crew's Big & Fast Cars, The Big Little Book of Awesome Stuff, and Wendell the Werewolf

Read his humor column This Should Be Fun if you want to feel better about yourself.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Starting a Business

He Started a Business That Surpassed $100 Million in Under 3 Years: 'Consistent Revenue Right Out of the Gate'

Ryan Close, founder and CEO of Bartesian, had run a few small businesses on the side — but none of them excited him as much as the idea for a home cocktail machine.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Franchise

The Top 10 Coffee Franchises in 2024

From a classic cup of joe to a creamy latte, grab your favorite mug and get ready to brew up success with the best coffee franchises.

Marketing

How Small Businesses Can Leverage Dark Social to Drive Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Dark social accounts for 70% of social media shares and is crucial for small businesses. Here's how you can tap into this hidden marketing opportunity.

Business News

'Jaw-Dropping Performance in 2024,' Says a Senior Analyst as Nvidia Reports Earnings

Nvidia reported its highly-anticipated third-quarter earnings on Wednesday.

Business News

'Do You Sell Cars?': Tesla CEO Elon Musk Trolls Jaguar Rebrand on X

The team running Jaguar's X account was working hard on social media this week.