Hackers Leak Solana Co-Founder’s Private Data Through Migos’ Instagram in Failed Extortion Attempt

Highlights:

• Hackers leaked Solana co-founder ID data using a hacked Instagram in a 40 Bitcoin extortion attempt.
• Raj Gokal had warned about hacking attempts before private documents appeared online through the compromised account.
• Coinbase also faced a data breach that exposed details of users and triggered a class action lawsuit.

Hackers briefly took over the Instagram account of Migos, a rap group founded in 2008, to post private documents linked to Solana co-founder Raj Gokal. The account, which has over 13 million followers, published at least seven posts that included identity data. These images displayed personal documents such as passports, driver’s licenses, and phone numbers linked to Gokal and his wife.

🚨JUST IN: Hackers compromised rapper Migos’ Instagram account to leak Solana co-founder @rajgokal's passport, ID, and family pictures.

The materials appear to be KYC images, raising questions about whether the source may be linked to recent @coinbase data breach.

The caption… pic.twitter.com/wKEVKP1dFi

— SolanaFloor (@SolanaFloor) May 27, 2025

Each image included captions that mentioned a failed ransom demand of 40 bitcoins. One post read, “You should’ve paid the 40 BTC,” directly referencing the unpaid demand. The attackers also modified the profile’s bio to promote a meme coin and shared links to Telegram channels and audio files. The Instagram platform removed the posts about 90 minutes after they appeared.

Gokal had posted on X one week earlier that unknown individuals had tried to access his email, Apple, and social media accounts. He warned followers to stay alert for strange behavior on his profiles. The timing of his warning aligns with the date of the attack, which points to a coordinated effort.

Attackers have been trying to take control of my email, social media, Google, Apple, etc. this past week. If you see anything suspect (token launch, soliciting funds, etc) that means they got through.

be careful out there

— raj 🖤 (@rajgokal) May 20, 2025

While the images depicted documents like those involved in crypto KYC, the way the attackers got them is still unclear. There is no proof that the attacker used artificial intelligence or deepfakes to create the photos.

Hackers Leak Solana Co-Founder’s Data As Crypto Scams Escalate

The Solana co-founder data leak appears to be the result of social engineering attacks. Blockchain investigator ZachXBT reported that Gokal’s personal accounts were likely compromised through manipulation and deception. He stated that the attackers used personal information to pressure Gokal into sending funds.

TLDR
>Raj got social engineered for access to an email account a few days ago
>Attacker attempted to extort him with PII obtained from the account after but he didn’t pay
>Same attacker compromised Migos Instagram account today
>Attacker posted Raj’s PII from the Migos account

— ZachXBT (@zachxbt) May 27, 2025

After Gokal refused to comply, the hackers leaked his and his wife’s documents using Migos’ compromised Instagram account. The type of images posted matched those often used by exchanges to verify customer identities. These usually require subjects to show their face while holding an ID document, making the attack appear well-planned.

Despite the clear links to personal identity, no official source has confirmed the origin of the leaked materials. While some previous crypto scams have used AI to create fake identities, there is no indication that this attack involved similar tools. Still, the incident raised questions about how and where identity documents were collected. In April, another case drew attention when scammers used a fake driver’s license to steal $4 million from a victim. That attack also involved stolen identity and digital impersonation.

I’m sick.

I was just contacted by a private investigator who informed me that a client of his was scammed for $4M by a Nigerian group using my name and face as the bait. They’ve apparently scammed a number of people.

They sent him a fake drivers license to prove it was me…

— The Wolf Of All Streets (@scottmelker) April 23, 2025

Coinbase Breach and Legal Fallout Add to Industry’s Privacy Concerns

The information stolen from Solana’s co-founders was revealed at a time when the crypto sector was already dealing with a privacy issue. In a recent statement, Coinbase confirmed that information belonging to some customers was compromised and the company had refused to pay a ransom to the hackers.

Although this affected fewer than 1% of its users, the incident led to a class action lawsuit. The plaintiffs claim Coinbase delayed disclosure of the breach, causing its stock price to drop. The case highlights growing concerns about how crypto firms store and protect personal information.