A Florida student has been arrested by the FBI, accused by US prosecutors of developing and distributing malicious video games on the popular PC platform, Steam. Zyaire Wilkins, 21, was taken into custody on Tuesday, 15 July 2026, on charges relating to a scheme that allegedly infected thousands of computers and drained cryptocurrency wallets.
Prosecutors claim that over the past two years, Wilkins and unnamed co-conspirators uploaded several fake video games, including titles such as BlockBlasters, Dashverse, Lampy, Lunara, and PirateFi, to the Steam platform. These games, designed to appear legitimate and even playable, reportedly contained malware intended to compromise victims' computers, steal passwords, and access other sensitive data, ultimately leading to the theft of cryptocurrency.
The FBI alleges that approximately 8,000 victims were infected by the malware, with around 80 cryptocurrency wallets subsequently hacked. The total value of the stolen cryptocurrency is estimated to be at least $220,000, which equates to approximately £170,000 at current exchange rates. The malicious games were reportedly marketed across various online platforms, including Discord, LinkedIn, and Telegram, to attract unsuspecting players.
The investigation gained traction in March 2026 when the FBI publicly announced it was looking into a hacker using malware-embedded Steam games. The bureau appealed for individuals who had downloaded the suspicious games, including those later named in the complaint, to come forward with information. Valve, the company behind Steam, has also removed several games from its platform over the last year after they were identified as containing malware, with PirateFi being among them.
The breakthrough in the case reportedly came after federal agents interviewed another individual allegedly involved in the scheme. This unnamed person detailed their role in raising funds for the launch and marketing of the malicious games in exchange for a share of the stolen cryptocurrency. Further investigation led the FBI to trace cryptocurrency payments from a specific account linked to the scheme, which were used to purchase gift cards. Subpoenaing Uber, authorities were able to link these gift cards to an account making deliveries to Wilkins, who allegedly used the online alias 'Sibel.eth'. A subsequent search warrant at Wilkins' residence led to the seizure of electronic devices and digital wallets.