Debunked: FBI-Owned Bitcoin Wallet Erroneously Tied to Late Russian Oligarch Prigozhin in Recent Speculation

Amid swirling speculations about the third biggest bitcoin wallet, chatter has now emerged linking the fifth largest BTC wallet to the late Yevgeny Prigozhin, former owner of the Wagner private military company (PMC). However, a straightforward blockchain explorer search clearly indicates the wallet bears a label identifying it as property of the U.S. government. Nevertheless, this hasn’t deterred the media and netizens from propagating unfounded theories.

Misguided Claims Connect FBI-Owned Bitcoin Wallet to Russian Magnate Prigozhin

Recently, there was buzz about the third biggest bitcoin (BTC) wallet. Now, attention has shifted to the fifth-largest BTC wallet, with many making audacious claims regarding its ownership. Cryptocurrency news outlets, along with a flurry of social media posts on platforms like X and Facebook, are asserting that this wallet was owned by the late Yevgeny Prigozhin. Rumors swirled about Prigozhin, the former PMC head, and his links to crypto, especially after his tragic demise in a plane crash near Tver Oblast.

While it’s plausible that the Russian magnate, Prigozhin, dabbled in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, the ownership of the fifth-largest BTC wallet isn’t his legacy. In reality, the U.S. government holds the keys to this vault, having confiscated a whopping 94,643 BTC — valued at $2.4 billion today — from the culprits behind the Bitfinex hack. Blockchain aficionados can spot this wallet’s affiliation easily on explorer platforms like Arkham and oxt.me. Its provenance is also clear from the U.S. Justice Department’s public statements and initial reports on the seizure.

Nevertheless, the tale of Prigozhin’s alleged link with this wallet gained traction, reminiscent of the many baseless speculations that often engulf the crypto realm. It’s akin to the earlier social media frenzy suggesting Blackrock owned the third-largest bitcoin wallet. Such narratives crumble upon closer scrutiny of the Bitcoin blockchain, yet many skip this essential step, perpetuating fictionalized accounts on social media without verification.

Some have pointed out that, despite the absence of solid proof, there’s indirect evidence suggesting the wallet might belong to the late Russian Oligarch. However, this notion is completely unfounded and a total fabrication. There’s not an iota of evidence supporting such a claim, while there’s irrefutable onchain data confirming the wallet’s ownership by the FBI.