Loading...

Actor Bill Murray’s NFT Account Hacked At Charity Auction

Actor Bill Murray’s virtual wallet was hacked of 119.2 Ethereum ($185,000 USD) — digital currency funds intended to help a 3-year-old with a rare medical condition and other patients — during a charity auction of the celebrity’s non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

Chive Charities, a 501(c)(3) in Austin, Texas that raises money for military families and individuals with rare illnesses, aimed to use Murray’s NFT auction proceeds to purchase a new wheelchair-accessible van for the child identified only as Evelyn.

Referring to Sept. 1, auction proceeds recipient Chive Charities posted on a GoFundMe site running simultaneously to the NFT auction: “Then last evening, Bill’s wallet was hacked in a coordinated effort by hackers that stole the funds raised in the auction. We will not stand for that. We’re raising funds to support Evelyn and all the other recipients whose lives we intended to change.”

Chive Charities also tweeted: “We were so disheartened to hear the news of Bill Murray’s wallet being hacked, knowing the implications for Evelyn and other #ChiveCharities recipients who were to benefit from the proceeds.”

According to niche outlets covering cryptocurrency, the hacker attacked Murray’s wallet around 7 p.m. on Sept. 1 while his NFT auction was underway. The hacker, who hasn’t yet been identified, also tried, unsuccessfully, to steal NFTs belonging to the Saturday Night Live (SNL) alumnus and star of Caddyshack, Groundhog Day and Ghostbusters.

CoinDesk.com, which follows the cryptocurrency market, reported that Murray’s wallet security team from Project Venkman in Austin, Texas protected the actor’s NFTs by moving listed JPEGs, including two CryptoPunks, Flower Girls, a Pudgy Penguin, a Cool Cat and Damien Hirst NFT, to safehouse wallets.

Messages requesting comment from Project Venkman and Chive Charities are pending responses. A Chive Charities blogger reported that the highest bidder at Murray’s auction would also get to enjoy a beer with the actor.

CoinDesk also reported that the runner-up in the auction sent 120 ETH (about $187,500) to Chive Charities to replace the stolen funds. The NonProfit Times could not independently verify the report. One Ethereum digital coin was valued at $1,662.37 as of Monday.

Chive Charities had revenue of $2.098 million for its 2019 fiscal year, cited on its federal Form 990. The Bill Murray NFTs were described as a unique biographical NFT project telling the story of iconic actor, comedian, and writer, Bill Murray — and a life very well-lived.” Each of the NFTs features a unique design inspired by the story, and each original story/design combination is available in nine additional color ways, according to actor’s NFT site.