A sprawling social-engineering scheme born from friendships on online gaming platforms has produced one of the largest cryptocurrency theft prosecutions, federal prosecutors said Tuesday.
Twenty-two-year-old Evan Tangeman of Newport Beach, California, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to participating in a racketeering conspiracy that laundered millions in stolen cryptocurrency, becoming the ninth defendant to enter a guilty plea in the investigation.
Tangeman admitted to laundering at least $3.5 million for members of the enterprise and faces sentencing on April 24, 2026.
New Defendants Charged in Ongoing Investigation
Court filings unsealed the Second Superseding Indictment, which added three more defendants charged with RICO conspiracy: Nicholas Dellecave (aka “Nic” or “Souja”), Mustafa Ibrahim (aka “Krust”), and Danish Zulfiqar (aka “Danny” or “Meech”). Dellecave was arrested in Miami on December 3, 2025, while Zulfiqar and Ibrahim were arrested in Dubai.
Operation and Scope of the Enterprise
According to prosecutors, the Social Engineering Enterprise emerged by October 2023 and operated through at least May 2025.
The group, comprised of database hackers, organizers, target identifiers, callers, money launderers, and residential burglars, targeted victims across the United States by exploiting stolen databases and social contacts developed through online gaming.
Illicit Proceeds Fund Lavish Lifestyles
Members used the illicit proceeds to finance a lavish lifestyle, prosecutors allege, including nightclub expenses as high as $500,000 per night, luxury handbags and watches worth tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, rental homes in Los Angeles and Miami, private jet charters, private security, and a fleet of at least 28 exotic cars.
Significant Cryptocurrency Theft Detailed
The indictment alleges one scheme that led to the fraudulent acquisition of more than 4,100 Bitcoin from a District of Columbia victim on Aug. 18, 2024, valued at roughly $263 million at the time and over $368 million this week.
Tangeman's Role and Obstruction Efforts
Tangeman also helped convert stolen cryptocurrency into cash for rental properties and allegedly took steps to obstruct the investigation after co-conspirator Malone Lam’s arrest.
Investigative Leadership
The probe is led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia with the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation, and will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rosenberg.