Noah Michael Urban, a 20-year-old Palm Coast resident known online as “King Bob,” pleaded guilty on April 7, 2025, to charges related to an extensive cryptocurrency theft operation.
Urban, linked to the notorious Scattered Spider cybercrime gang, admitted to stealing approximately $800,000 in Bitcoin and Ethereum from cryptocurrency investors through sophisticated social engineering and technical exploitation.
Urban entered guilty pleas in two separate federal cases.
In the Florida case, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
In a related California case, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
The Technique: SIM Swapping and Phishing
According to prosecutors, Urban and his accomplices employed a technique known as “SIM swapping” to gain unauthorized access to victims’ cryptocurrency wallets.
This method exploits mobile phone service providers’ ability to port phone numbers to different SIM cards.
The cybercriminals first gather personal information about their targets through various means, including phishing attacks.
They then contacted the victims’ mobile carriers, impersonating the account holders to convince customer service representatives to transfer phone numbers to SIM cards controlled by the criminals.
Once in control of the victims’ phone numbers, Urban and his co-conspirators could:
- Intercept one-time passwords sent via SMS
- Bypass two-factor authentication security measures
- Reset passwords to cryptocurrency accounts
- Gain access to digital wallets
- Transfer cryptocurrency to their accounts
Scattered Spider’s Broader Operations
Urban is believed to be a key figure in Scattered Spider, a cybercrime syndicate infamous for high-profile attacks on major companies, including MGM Resorts and Caesars.
The group’s tactics include:
- Posing as IT staff or helpdesk personnel to trick employees into sharing login credentials
- Sending mass phishing text messages to company employees
- Convincing targets to run remote access tools
- Exploiting compromised credentials to steal sensitive data
Scattered Spider members have targeted at least 45 businesses across multiple countries, including the United States, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom.
Restitution and Sentencing
As part of his plea agreement, Urban has agreed to pay $13 million in restitution to 59 victims and forfeit his jewelry, currency, and cryptocurrency assets.
His sentencing is expected within 75 days, following the preparation of a pre-sentencing report by the court’s probation office.
Urban had gained notoriety beyond financial crimes for leaking unreleased songs from artists including Ariana Grande, Lil Uzi Vert, and Playboi Carti after breaking into music industry executives’ accounts through SIM swap attacks.
During his January 2024 arrest, Urban reportedly attempted to wipe his computer and social media history to destroy evidence.
Federal authorities continue to pursue charges against other alleged members of Scattered Spider, including Ahmed Hossam Eldin Elbadawy, Evans Onyeaka Osiebo, Joel Martin Evans, and Tyler Robert Buchanan.
Each could face up to 25 years in federal prison if convicted.
Find this Story Interesting! Follow us on LinkedIn and X to Get More Instant Updates
%20(1).webp?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1&description=Urban, linked to the notorious Scattered Spider cybercrime gang, admitted to stealing approximately $800,000 in Bitcoin and Ethereum.){kind=link}