An American woman found herself at the center of a scheme to steal $5 million in cryptocurrency: details of the investigation
My team of analysts and I at Cryptalist closely monitor high-profile cases in the digital assets space. This time, the spotlight is on U.S. citizen Tiffany Milanovich, who, according to my independent investigation, is linked to the theft of at least $5 million from users of crypto services.
Mechanics of the Criminal Scheme
Milanovich operated as part of an organized group, acting as a "call operator." She called victims, posing as support staff of crypto exchanges and hardware wallets, convincing them to hand over control of their funds. After draining the accounts, she recorded videos mocking the victims—a detail that underscores the cynicism and audacity of the perpetrators.
The infrastructure for phishing sites was provided by accomplices under the pseudonyms "bled" and "harm." In June 2026, one of the attacks led to a loss of $1.2 million in Bitcoin and Ethereum from a Trezor wallet, and in October 2025, another victim lost $500,000 from a Coinbase account. Notably, a significant portion of the stolen assets has not yet been moved and remains on traceable addresses.
Traces of Luxury and Gambling
Milanovich did not hide her spending: on social media, she showcased purchases of luxury goods and casino bets made with other people's money. Moreover, some of the "boastful" videos were edited to make the theft amounts appear even more impressive than they actually were.
I also established a connection between Milanovich and John "Lick" Dagita, who was previously detained in Saint Martin on charges of stealing cryptocurrency seized by U.S. authorities. This points to the formation of stable criminal networks specializing in complex, multi-stage attacks.
A Trend That Cannot Be Ignored
Such schemes are just the tip of the iceberg. The FBI recorded more than 80,000 complaints about impersonation of tech support staff in 2025, with losses exceeding $2.9 billion. According to Chainalysis, the number of such attacks in the crypto sector grew by nearly 1400% year over year.
My expert opinion: This case is a stark reminder that the human factor remains the weakest link in digital asset security. Even the most reliable wallets and exchanges are useless if a user trusts a voice on the phone. Always verify any requests to transfer funds through official communication channels, and remember: no legitimate support will ever ask you to hand over control of your assets.