08.11.2024 13:31
Dean Skurka, the CEO of Canada's leading cryptocurrency exchange WonderFi, was taken hostage in downtown Toronto. After paying a ransom of 1 million dollars in cryptocurrency, Skurka was released, and it was confirmed that the assets and data of the company's customers are safe.
Attacks targeting executives in the cryptocurrency world have reached alarming levels. Following the kidnapping and murder of a Bitcoin investor last July, this time the CEO of WonderFi, which owns half of Canada's cryptocurrency exchanges, has been targeted.
WonderFi CEO Paid 1 Million Dollar Ransom
According to a CBC report, the incident occurred on Wednesday in downtown Toronto. After Skurka was forcibly taken into a vehicle, the perpetrator or perpetrators demanded a ransom of 1 million dollars. Industry representatives emphasize that the recent increase in such incidents points to security vulnerabilities in the cryptocurrency ecosystem.
In a statement following the incident, a WonderFi spokesperson reported that CEO Skurka is in good health and that the company's operations are continuing normally. The Toronto Police Department stated that they are tracking the electronic ransom payment and that the investigation is ongoing in all aspects.
WonderFi, which holds a significant position in Canada's cryptocurrency market, had acquired 50% of the regulated cryptocurrency exchanges in the country last year. This incident has led cryptocurrency companies to review their executive security protocols.