Key Takeaways
- Zyaire Wilkins, a 21-year-old Florida resident, was arrested for distributing malware through fake video games.
- The scheme infected around 8,000 victims and stole at least $220,000 in cryptocurrency.
- Wilkins used the online nickname Sibel.eth and promoted the malicious games on platforms like Discord.
U.S. prosecutors have accused a 21-year-old Florida man of distributing malware through fake video games linked to Steam. Zyaire Wilkins, who was arrested by the FBI on Tuesday, is alleged to have been involved in a scheme that targeted thousands of victims and stole significant amounts of cryptocurrency.
According to the criminal complaint, Wilkins and his co-conspirators published several games that appeared legitimate but secretly carried malware. The titles named in the case include BlockBlasters, Dashverse, Lampy, Lunara, and PirateFi. The FBI’s investigation also includes Chemia, Dashverse/DashFPS, Lampy, Lunara, PirateFi, and Tokenova among the games under review.
The malware was designed to infect victims' computers after they downloaded and installed these games. Prosecutors allege that around 8,000 victims were infected, with the group accessing approximately 80 cryptocurrency wallets and stealing at least $220,000 in crypto. The alleged campaign ran from May 2024 to February 2026.
The scheme was promoted through various online platforms including Discord, LinkedIn, and Telegram. Investigators linked Wilkins to the alleged scheme through cryptocurrency payments and gift card purchases. According to reports on the complaint, the FBI traced a crypto account used in the scheme to purchases of more than 150 digital gift cards, including Uber Eats gift cards.
Federal agents later obtained a search warrant for Wilkins’ residence and seized a MacBook, cellphones, other electronic devices, and digital wallets. Wilkins refused to answer questions after the search. His lawyer did not respond to a request for comment.
The arrest follows an earlier FBI appeal for victims of malware-infected Steam games. In March, the FBI’s Seattle Division asked users who installed suspicious games between May 2024 and January 2026 to submit information. The bureau said the investigation involved games including BlockBlasters, Chemia, Dashverse/DashFPS, Lampy, Lunara, PirateFi, and Tokenova.
Valve has removed several games from Steam over malware concerns during the past year. One earlier case involved BlockBlasters, which was removed after being linked to crypto-stealing malware. The case is still pending, and the allegations have not been proven in court.
