Active-duty senior airman, Devin Alan Rhoden, a cyber analyst with the United States Air Force, was recently apprehended for his alleged involvement in an NFT scheme. According to reports from Court Watch in collaboration with Forbes, Rhoden is accused of participating in a "rug pull" scheme associated with UndeadApes NFTs.
The criminal complaint, filed in the Middle District of Florida, alleges that Rhoden promoted the UndeadApes NFTs on platforms like Discord and Twitter, enticing investors before the project collapsed. The complaint suggests that Rhoden, using the username "Deviinz," contributed to the rise in the average price of UndeadApes NFTs by falsely promoting a collaboration with Stone Ape Crew, a larger NFT collective. When Stone Ape Crew discredited the collaboration, the value of UndeadApes NFTs plummeted, leaving investors in the Discord channel disheartened.
Rhoden reportedly withdrew approximately $80,000 from his Coinbase account in April 2022, linked to his driver's license. The funds were allegedly connected to fraudulent activities. Court documents reveal that Rhoden and his wife purchased a home in Florida for just over $300,000 in May 2022, with underwriting processes indicating the use of fraudulent proceeds.
A search warrant for the Google profile linked to the Coinbase account revealed incriminating searches post the April 2022 incident, including inquiries about Discord logs, utility NFTs, wire fraud court martial, and other related topics. Discord logs, provided by the social media app, reportedly showcased Rhoden boasting about the money generated by the NFT group.
During an interview with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Rhoden admitted to marketing his services to NFT developers on Discord as "Deviinz." While acknowledging his efforts to generate income from the cryptocurrency space, Rhoden denied any knowledge of fraud.
As of Thursday, Rhoden is reportedly out on a $20,000 bond, with no further court dates scheduled at present. This case stands as an intriguing development in one of the early criminal instances involving NFTs.