The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have seized 25 Bitcoin, a waterfront mansion in Queensland, and a Mercedes-Benz.
The assets, valued at 4.5 million Australian dollars (about $2.88 million USD), were confiscated under a court forfeiture order obtained in April 2025.
The Criminal Assets Confiscation Taskforce (CACT) confirmed the seizure in a May 18 statement.
The Bitcoin, currently priced at $103,795 per coin, could be linked to the 2013 theft of 950 Bitcoin from a French crypto exchange.
The probe began in September 2018, when authorities in Luxembourg flagged suspicious transactions involving a man based in Queensland.
Although no charges were filed in connection with the 2013 theft, the court ruled that the confiscated assets could not be linked to any identifiable legitimate earnings.
Shane Stephen Duffy Identified in Cybercrime Case
Local outlet 7NEWS named the man as Shane Stephen Duffy. In 2016, Duffy pleaded guilty to fraud and computer hacking.
He sold stolen League of Legends player data obtained from the 2011 Riot Games breach, though he was not involved in the original hack.
He was also accused of hacking the X account of Marc Merrill, the president of Riot Games, to promote his data-selling platform. Prosecutors said he sold access to other game accounts using that channel.
The AFP connected Duffy to the assets seized in Queensland. Investigators said these items were acquired using funds suspected to originate from the earlier crypto exchange hack.
Police Use Proceeds of Crime Act to Secure Forfeiture
AFP Commander Jason Kennedy cited the Proceeds of Crime Act, which allows the agency to restrain and forfeit assets believed to come from criminal activity.
“The profits derived from criminal activities are also often used to fund further criminal acts,”
Kennedy said.
“That is why the AFP works closely with our partners in the CACT to target the proceeds of crime and ensure they are reinvested in the community.”
According to the AFP, the funds raised from selling the assets will be directed into a special purpose account used for law enforcement and crime prevention efforts.
Since July 2019, the CACT has restrained more than $1.2 billion in property, including real estate, vehicles, fine art, and cryptocurrency.
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