Key Takeaways:
- Crypto figures are not immune to danger.
- Unclear circumstances often surround their deaths.
- There has been a string of such tragedies over the years.
YEREVAN (CoinChapter.com) — An old Russian saying goes “Where there’s money there’s blood”. And prominent crypto figures are no strangers to this reality.
Over the past years, there’s been a spike in crypto-related deaths that mostly affected prominent crypto holders or directors within the scene. So let’s revisit recent and not so incidents and try to piece the circumstances of these tragedies.
Recent Deaths of Crypto Users
Fernando Perez Algaba, aged 39, was a self-made crypto millionaire hailing from Argentina who enjoyed a traveling lifestyle and amassed a social media following of 918,000 on Instagram.
Algaba first started out as a simple street vendor and later became a crypto trader and a car salesman. These occupations provided him with an opportunity to earn significant wealth, which remains unfortunately undisclosed.
Reportedly, Algaba operated an office in Buenos Aires that employed approximately 25 fellow traders. Argentinian news outlets report that Algaba also owned a car and jet ski rental company in Miami. Algaba went missing around July 18-19, 2023, after failing to return the keys to an apartment he rented in the town of Ituzaingó.
A local group of children in the town of Ingeniero Budge found his remains on July 23 in a red suitcase near a sewer stream. The suitcase contained the amputated body parts of Algaba. Thankfully, his numerous tattoos helped authorities identify him.
The Argentinian police additionally informed that his dismembered torso sustained 2 gunshot wounds. A day later, police found the remains of his head after draining the stream.
Argentinian investigators suggest that “professional hitmen” are responsible for carrying out his murder, and they believe the motive is most likely debt-related.
So far, the police have arrested only one possible suspect in relation to the murder.
For context, Algaba had around $73,300 in debt from bounced checks and owed banks $1.2 million. Furthermore, reports indicate that debt collectors threatened him via Instagram.
MakerDao Co-Founder Nikolai Mushegian Mysteriously Dies In Puerto Rico
On October 28, 2022, authorities found Nikolai Mushegian, co-founder of the crypto lending platform MakerDao and the Dai stablecoin, dead in Puerto Rico. According to the official police report, Mushegian drowned after sea currents carried him away on Condado Beach in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
For context, Condado Beach is thought of to be one of the world’s most dangerous beaches, claiming the lives of swimmers every year. However, some believe the official report is insufficient, leading to the emergence of conspiracy theories surrounding the “true circumstances” of his death.
CIA and Mossad and pedo elite are running some kind of sex trafficking entrapment blackmail ring out of Puerto Rico and caribbean islands. They are going to frame me with a laptop planted by my ex gf who was a spy. They will torture me to death.
— ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️ (@delete_shitcoin) October 28, 2022
Furthermore, statements made by Mushegian prior to his death claim possible CIA involvement in an attempt on his life. The San Juan Homicide Division and a local prosecutor investigated his death scene.
Mushegian held a significant role within the cryptocurrency community, playing a key part in various industry projects. He w often recognized as a “Dai architect.”
As a 29-year-old crypto developer, he made notable contributions to MakerDAO forks Rico and Rai. This is alongside his involvement in the proof-of-stake blockchain network BitShares. Additionally, Mushegian co-founded the automated market maker Balancer.
Bithumb’s Biggest Shareholder Found Dead After Market Manipulation Accusation Hurled At Him
On the morning of December 30, 2022, it was discovered that Park Mo, then vice president of Vidente, the largest shareholder of the S.Korean crypto exchange Bithumb, was dead in front of his home. The official police investigation ruled out that Mo’s death came from suicide.
According to Money Today, the vice president of Vidente, the largest shareholder of South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb, committed suicide by jumping off a building while being investigated by South Korean prosecutors, suspected of corruption and price manipulation.
— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) December 30, 2022
Prior to his death, South Korean prosecutors named Mo as one of the primary suspects in an investigation they had launched. This accusation was for his supposed involvement in the market manipulation of Bithumb-associated companies.
In October 2021, the Financial Investigation Division of the Seoul Southern District Prosecutor’s Office initiated an investigation based on allegations involving Mr. Park Mo. Furthermore, this investigation resulted in the seizure of several Bithumb-affiliated companies, including Vident, Inbiogen, and Bucket Studio.
Vident, listed on KOSDAQ, was identified as Bithumb’s biggest shareholder. They held a significant 34.22% stake in the cryptocurrency exchange.
Nonetheless, the police investigation supposed that Mr.Mo might have committed suicide in connection to the criminal allegations levied against him.
