A criminal network with ties to fentanyl trafficking orchestrated a cryptocurrency scam using a fake token branded as “zksync.jp,” tricking users worldwide and causing losses exceeding $1 million.
The scheme, first reported by Nikkei Asia and later picked up by The Block, involved a Chinese-based group that distributed the fraudulent token to unsuspecting cryptocurrency investors. The “zksync.jp” name was designed to piggyback on the reputation of zkSync, a well-known Ethereum layer-2 scaling solution.
This wasn’t some amateur operation. The group had links to broader criminal networks involved in drug trafficking, which provided both the infrastructure and the laundering channels for moving stolen funds. That connection to the fentanyl trade adds a particularly ugly dimension — crypto fraud funding the same pipelines that move synthetic opioids.
Victims bought the token presumably believing they were getting in early on a zkSync-affiliated project. By the time anyone figured out the token was worthless, the attackers had already cashed out through a maze of wallets that,大概率, led back to the same networks handling drug money.
ZkSync’s actual team had no involvement with the token. That’s the whole point of these impersonation scams — they exploit brand recognition and the average investor’s limited ability to verify token authenticity before buying in.
The $1 million figure might even be understated. Scams like this often go underreported because victims either don’t realize they’ve been duped until much later, or they’re too embarrassed to come forward. Either way, the money’s usually gone by the time anyone starts investigating.
What you can do: Always verify token addresses through official project channels before buying. If it sounds like a big name but the website looks slightly off, that’s your red flag. And if anyone promises you a shortcut to easy gains from some “affiliated” token, run the other way.
Source: The Block
