Singapore police say altered Ledger hardware wallets bought from some retail stores in the city-state were linked to about 3.5 million Singapore dollars, or roughly $2.7 million, in losses. The advisory indicates that at least two cases had already been reported by Sept. 10, several weeks before the issue became widely known.
Preliminary findings cited by police point to malicious hardware components inside the affected devices. Authorities said they are in contact with Ledger, while the wallet maker reviews the reported cases and the investigation continues.
Cases appeared before the incident became public
The Singapore advisory places the first known reports earlier than previously understood. According to police, at least two cases were reported on Sept. 10, nearly a month before the broader incident surfaced publicly on Oct. 9.
That public disclosure followed reports of losses tied to devices sold through CryptoBilis, an authorized Ledger reseller operating in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. The Singapore notice adds a local timeline and a loss estimate specific to the city-state.
Investigators point to altered hardware
Police said preliminary investigations found malicious hardware components in Ledger wallets purchased from certain retail stores in Singapore. The statement did not say how many devices may have been affected or identify the stores involved.
The current findings remain preliminary, and authorities did not provide further technical detail in the advisory. Ledger is reviewing the affected cases as police inquiries continue.
More reports followed in October
In the days after the incident became public, additional claims drew attention to possible tampering in devices bought in Singapore. Former Mt. Gox CEO Mark Karpelès said a Ledger Flex purchased at Singapore’s airport contained a spy implant.
Another Ledger user also claimed that a tampered device bought from a local IT retailer was later replaced by Ledger. Those reports added to concerns that compromised wallets may have reached customers through regular retail channels.
Retail sales were later halted in several markets
On Oct. 13, Ledger asked retailers in Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Hong Kong to suspend sales of its devices while investigations continue.
For now, the confirmed next step is the ongoing review by Ledger and the continuing police investigation in Singapore. The advisory does not say when the inquiry will conclude or whether more cases may be identified.
Source: cointelegraph.com