Weekly Crypto News Recap: Ukrainian Student Killed, Calls for Samourai Wallet Developers’ Pardon, Android Chip Vulnerability, and Pepe Official Website Hacked

Source: CritpoTendencia Original Title: Murder of Ukrainian Student in Vienna Sparks International Alarm Over Possible Cryptocurrency Theft Original Link:

Ukrainian Student Killed in Vienna, Crypto Wallet Stolen

Austrian authorities have reported the arrest of two Ukrainian nationals charged with torture and the murder of a 21-year-old student. The victim’s body was found completely burned inside his Mercedes-Benz, and his crypto wallet was emptied.

Local media identified the victim as Danylo K., the son of the deputy mayor of Kharkiv, Ukraine. His remains were discovered in the early hours of November 26, when a car fire and smoke triggered alarms in a nearby residential area. The body was unrecognizable due to severe burns.

Vienna police announced that the two suspects (aged 19 and 45) were apprehended in Ukraine on Saturday, three days after fleeing across the border. While the motive has not been fully confirmed, investigators noted withdrawal records from the student’s crypto wallet, suggesting greed may have driven the crime.

Calls Grow for Trump to Pardon Samourai Wallet Developers

As the January 2026 prison date approaches for Samourai Wallet developers Keonne Rodríguez and William Lonergan Hill, calls for a presidential pardon are mounting. Multiple Bitcoin advocates and political organizations are urging U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene.

Rodríguez and Hill were sentenced in November to five and four years in prison, respectively, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. Money laundering charges were dropped as part of the deal, but the sentences remain unless a pardon is granted.

Influential figures in the Bitcoin community—including Max Keiser, Marty Bent, and Walker America—have publicly voiced support for the developers. Zack Shapiro, a fellow at the Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI), argues that the case misapplies federal law by equating non-custodial software with traditional financial services.

Ledger Warns Android Chip Vulnerability Threatens Web3 Wallet Users

Hardware wallet maker and security firm Ledger has issued a warning about a severe vulnerability discovered in processor chips widely used in Android smartphones, which could allow attackers with physical access to compromise software-based Web3 wallets.

Ledger’s research team, Donjon, demonstrated that hardware fault injection techniques can bypass critical security controls and gain full control of the chip. The company emphasized that this finding does not affect Ledger hardware wallets but exposes the limitations of relying solely on mobile phones to safeguard digital assets.

Donjon’s report released Wednesday details an analysis of the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 (MT6878) chip, manufactured by TSMC and found in various consumer-grade Android devices. While software vulnerabilities have historically been the focus of mobile security, Ledger warns that physical attacks remain a significant risk, especially given the prevalence of lost or stolen smartphones.

Pepe Official Website Hacked, Users Redirected to Malicious Links

The official website of memecoin Pepe (PEPE) was attacked on Thursday, with the attacker injecting malicious code to redirect visitors to phishing links. According to cybersecurity firm Blockaid, the portal suffered a front-end attack involving components from Inferno Drainer—a known toolkit for creating phishing pages, draining wallets, and executing social engineering tactics.

Despite the incident, PEPE’s price did not immediately react. The token has risen about 4% in the past 24 hours but remains down over 77% over the past year, according to CoinGecko data.

The attack once again highlights the importance of caution in the crypto ecosystem. Experts advise avoiding the Pepe official website until the issue is resolved.