The cryptocurrency market entered the new year without a considerable price fluctuation, compared to the past few weeks.
Despite one price plunge that happened just before the end of 2018, the total market cap currently stands at over $130 billion.
The largest cryptocurrency according to market cap, Bitcoin, is struggling to reach $4,000, and its worth is set to around $3,800 at press time.
In a slight turn of events, Ethereum has once again managed to retain the second place on the list, leaving XRP (Ripple) behind. The coin surged for 19 percent and is currently priced at $150.
Hackers Threaten to Release 9/11 Files Unless They're Paid in Bitcoins
A group of hackers, already known for their extortion attempts, claim that they will release valuable documents related to the terrorist attacks that happened in the United States on September 11, 2001.
The group, also known as The Dark Overlord, has asked for an undisclosed amount of Bitcoins, otherwise it will publicly release these 9/11 documents that were allegedly obtained by a breach in law firms.
The thousands of documents were taken from companies such as Silverstein Properties and Hiscox Syndicates Ltd after the cybercriminals hacked into the firms.
According to news reports, the group left an extortion note in which they included a link that leads to 10GB of files, and they claim to release the decryption keys that can unlock the documents if they are not paid the preferred amount in Bitcoins. The Dark Overlord group might also be offering these files on dark web forums.
They have been known from previous attacks, when the group tried to extort several other business, including a production studio working for Netflix.
Rugby Player Sentenced for MDMA Drug Deals Using Bitcoin
Gavin Brown, a 27-year-old Australian professional rugby player, was sentenced to 18 month in jail after he was found guilty of trying to distribute a large quantity of drugs purchased on the dark web.
Brown used and sold MDMA tablets that he bought on darknet markets with cryptocurrency. According to ABC Australia, the rugby player bought over $6,000 worth of drugs, or 500 MDMA tablets.
The court acknowledged that Brown may have consumed 100 of the pills himself, while the remaining tablets were sold in pubs and nightclubs.
Australia has been struggling with this problem for quite some time, and currently has one of the highest rates of drug dealers per capita in the world.
Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht Seeks Help from Roger Ver
Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the dark web's notorious Silk Road marketplace, has written a letter to crypto startup investor Roger Ver in which he is seeking help in getting clemency from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ulbricht was sentenced to a double life sentence in 2015, and in his letter he pointed out that the only remaining solution for him is a presidential pardon. He asked Ver, an investor and supporter of cryptocurrency, as well as other prominent people from the crypto community, to give him support.
A Change.org campaign aimed to grant Ulbricht a presidential pardon is currently underway. The petition has received over 100,000 signatures from supporters as well as many notable figures including a state senator.
That's it for our summary of this week's major crypto news headlines. This is the 27th post in our crypto news series. Catch up on the latest installments here:
