FBI arrests Florida man accused of using malware-laden Steam games to steal crypto
7 verified5 unconfirmed
Federal authorities have arrested a 21-year-old Florida man, Zyaire Wilkins, for allegedly using video games uploaded to the Steam platform that contained malware designed to steal cryptocurrency. According to court documents, Wilkins and unnamed co-conspirators published several games on Steam between May 2024 and February 2026. The games appeared legitimate but contained malware that infected users' devices, stole passwords, and drained crypto wallets. The FBI traced the scheme after linking a crypto wallet used to purchase gift cards to Wilkins, leading to his arrest on July 14. Wilkins has been charged with conspiracy to obtain information by computer for private financial gain.
What’s verified
Zyaire Wilkins, 21, of Florida, was arrested by the FBI on July 14, 2026.
Wilkins and co-conspirators are accused of publishing malware-embedded games on Steam to infect victims and steal cryptocurrency.
The malware infected approximately 8,000 victims and gave hackers access to about 80 crypto wallets.
At least $220,000 in cryptocurrency was stolen.
The malicious games were marketed on social media and messaging platforms including Discord, LinkedIn, and Telegram.
Games named in the complaint include BlockBlasters, Dashverse, Lampy, Lunara, and PirateFi.
Authorities traced cryptocurrency payments used to purchase gift cards, including UberEats gift cards, to Wilkins.
Not yet confirmed
One source reports that eight malware-embedded games were involved, while the other source lists five games but does not specify a total number.
It is unclear whether all named games were explicitly confirmed as uploaded to Steam; one source notes the complaint does not specifically say so, while the other states they were on Steam.
Details about additional games such as Chemia, DashFPS, and Tokenova appear only in one source.
The role of an unnamed co-conspirator who was interviewed by the FBI is mentioned in only one source.
Wilkins’ refusal to speak with authorities is reported by only one source.
Key figures
Zyaire Wilkins, 21-year-old Florida resident and student, arrested suspect.
Unnamed co-conspirators involved in the scheme.
Sources: TechCrunch, The Verge
