ZKasino Accused of $32 Million 'Rug Pull' After Moving User Funds and Shutting Down Communication Channels
In a shocking development in the cryptocurrency world, ZKasino, a decentralized gambling network, is under suspicion for a massive $32 million scam. The project team reportedly collected over 10,515 ETH (valued at more than $32 million) under the guise of a token farming program for their ZKAS tokens. Subsequently, these funds were transferred to another address, and the team abruptly shut down their Telegram channel and blocked the withdrawal of funds, leaving many investors and participants in the dark.
The alleged scam was first highlighted by analyst Colin Wu, who noted that the sudden closure of communication channels and the movement of a large amount of Ethereum raised red flags. Etherscan data confirmed that the assets were moved to a new address and then sent to Lido Finance, a liquid staking protocol, complicating the tracking of the funds.
The situation escalated when cryptocurrency exchange MEXC canceled the listing of ZKasino’s native token, ZKAS, while Ape Terminal also withdrew its initial coin offering (IDO) for the token. These moves reflect the growing concern among platforms about their association with potentially fraudulent projects.
Trouble for ZKasino began to surface in March 2024 when representatives from the decentralized exchange ZigZag accused the ZKasino team of providing false information about their funding and failing to compensate developers. These allegations hint at deeper operational and ethical issues within ZKasino, which might have been overlooked during the excitement over their token farming initiative.
This incident comes in the wake of several similar cases in the cryptocurrency space. For example, the project team of CONDOM was accused of a nearly $1 million rug pull in early April. Additionally, LENA Network faced accusations regarding a $2.8 million scam. These incidents serve as a grim reminder of the risks associated with investing in the relatively unregulated and volatile cryptocurrency market.
The cryptocurrency community has reacted with concern to the news, urging potential investors to perform due diligence and be wary of projects that promise high returns without transparent operations. The ZKasino case is likely to be closely watched as it unfolds, with investors and regulators seeking to understand how such a substantial amount of funds could be moved and obscured. As the investigation continues, the fate of the missing millions and the accountability of those involved remain uncertain, leaving many in the crypto world calling for tighter controls and clearer regulations to prevent such occurrences in the future.