Overview
- A Manhattan federal jury found Jonathan Spalletta guilty on Oct. 7 of computer fraud and money laundering for two 2021 attacks that prosecutors say drained about $55 million from Uranium Finance, and his sentencing is set for Feb. 16, 2027 with statutory maximums totaling 30 years in prison.
- Prosecutors say Spalletta first abused a reward smart contract on April 8, 2021 to take about $1.4 million and then on April 28, 2021 exploited withdrawal logic across 26 liquidity pools to remove roughly $53.3 million, a loss that forced the platform to close.
- Investigators used blockchain forensic tools to trace transfers and seized roughly $31 million in cryptocurrency on Feb. 24, 2025, and they executed a warrant at Spalletta’s home to seize high-value physical items tied to the proceeds.
- The government alleges about $26 million was routed through the mixer Tornado Cash and that stolen funds bought collectibles such as a Black Lotus Magic: The Gathering card and rare Pokémon items, while defense lawyers said Spalletta used public smart‑contract functions rather than forged credentials or malicious code.
- Beyond this case’s penalties for one defendant, the trial highlights how on‑chain tracing and cooperation between forensic firms and U.S. prosecutors can recover some funds but may leave many victims short and shape future enforcement of DeFi security failures.