French and U.S. authorities have dismantled Nudeleaksteens, an online platform accused of selling stolen intimate images of more than 17,000 women and underage girls. Investigators also seized more than $783,000, or about €700,000, in cryptocurrency tied to the operation.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said the confiscated assets included bitcoin, ether, litecoin and USDT. According to prosecutors, cryptocurrency was central to how the network operated, both as a payment system and as a way to reward users who helped identify and target victims.
Crypto at the center of the operation
French investigators said digital assets formed the financial backbone of the platform. The seized holdings totaled more than $783,000, and prosecutors said the site used several cryptocurrencies to move value across the network.
Authorities allege users could receive crypto in exchange for supplying personal details about victims, including names, locations, ages and occupations. Those details were reportedly compiled into dossiers that supported the site’s trafficking of stolen intimate material.
How the site allegedly obtained and sold content
Prosecutors said Nudeleaksteens marketed “packs” of explicit photos and videos. The material was allegedly collected through hacked social media accounts, grooming schemes and revenge porn.
U.S. authorities said the platform also explicitly distributed child sexual abuse material. They pointed to a separate album containing more than 6,200 private nude files that allegedly targeted mostly American teenagers and adults.
Arrests in northern France
Two brothers, ages 21 and 25, were arrested in northern France and identified by investigators as the main administrators of the site. They face charges linked to operating the network and distributing stolen media.
The enforcement action was carried out jointly by French authorities and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, reflecting the cross-border nature of the case and the victim base described by investigators.
What authorities say comes next
Officials in France and the United States said the case underscores their intention to follow cryptocurrency trails when investigating online abuse and cybercrime networks. Their statements framed the seizure and shutdown as part of a broader effort to disrupt the monetization of illicit digital content.
The confirmed next step is the criminal case against the two suspects arrested in France. Authorities have also made clear that victim protection and the tracking of digital payments remain central to the ongoing response.
Source: news.bitcoin.com