$3B in Bitcoin Found After a Decade (PICTURES)  

In a safe on the floor

The FBI found after a decade of investigations, 50,676 Bitcoins worth $3 billion ! The Bitcoins were found in a safe hidden in the floor of the home of hacker James Zhong, who in 2012 had stolen the amount from the illegal Silk Road marketplace. As noted by the American authorities, this seizure is the second largest in history.

The search at the hacker’s home took place last year but has only now been announced. That is, it happened at the time when the price of Bitcoin was moderating, while now these Bitcoins are worth about $1.1 billion.

Bitcoins were found stored in various devices inside the safe, along with cash and gold and silver bars. Zhong managed to steal the funds from Silk Road by exploiting a vulnerability in the site’s payment system.

Silk Road was the first marketplace on the darknet and operated from 2011 to 2013 for buying and selling huge amounts of drugs and services. In 2015, its founder, Ross Ulbricht, was sentenced to life in prison.

Zhong pleaded guilty to the theft and faces up to 20 years in prison.