Hassan Maishera
TL;DR
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The FBI is currently investigating Kraken co-founder Jesse Powell on claims of hacking and cyberstalking.
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The agents searched Powell's Brentwood home in Los Angeles' Westside.
Jesse Powell Is Under Investigation
Crypto exchange Kraken co-founder Jesse Powell is currently under investigation by the FBI on claims that he hacked and cyberstalked a non-profit organization he founded. This is according to a confirmation from Powell’s lawyer after a report by The New York Times on Thursday.
According to the report, the FBI is looking into the Verge Center for the Arts' allegations that the co-founder of the cryptocurrency exchange hacked its computer accounts, obstructing access to emails and other messages.
The New York Times added that FBI agents had searched Powell's Brentwood home in Los Angeles' Westside and have so far seized electronic devices belonging to the Kraken co-founder. The report added that the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California have been investigating Powell for the past few months.
At the moment, Powell hasn’t been charged with any crimes. This latest development comes a few weeks after Powell sued Verge in California Superior Court, alleging that he owns and has rightful access to the email accounts of the non-profit. He also claims that he remains a Verge board member.
Powell co-founded Verge in 2007. However, he was removed from the organization’s board last year following claims that he violated Verge’s guiding principles.
While speaking to CoinDesk, a Kraken spokesperson said the cryptocurrency exchange knows about the civil dispute, investigation and search warrants. However, the investigation does not affect Jesse’s affiliation with Kraken.
