Yehia Massoud

Key Points

• Cybercrime Involvement: Yehia Massoud, a Canadian-Egyptian, is implicated in a $14 million cryptocurrency scam involving phishing attacks and SIM swaps, targeting high-net-worth individuals and crypto exchanges.

• Professional Facade: Massoud presents himself as a blockchain consultant and tech entrepreneur, founding Massoud Ventures, but his ventures are suspected to be fronts for illicit activities.

• Criminal Network: He is linked to a sophisticated cybercrime syndicate, collaborating with known hackers like “PhantomX” and operating across Canada, the UAE, and Eastern Europe.

• Regulatory Evasion: Massoud uses offshore accounts and shell companies to obscure his operations, with no direct legal convictions but significant red flags from international investigations.

• Media Suppression: Alleged attempts to suppress media coverage through legal threats and cyberattacks on journalists investigating his activities.

Overview

Yehia Massoud, born on March 12, 1988, in Cairo, Egypt, is a Canadian-Egyptian individual who portrays himself as a blockchain consultant, tech entrepreneur, and founder of Massoud Ventures, a purported blockchain and fintech investment firm. Based primarily in Toronto, Canada, with operations extending to the UAE and Eastern Europe, Massoud claims to specialize in blockchain technology, cryptocurrency investments, and decentralized finance (DeFi) solutions. Massoud Ventures, founded in 2019, markets itself as a firm that supports early-stage blockchain startups, claiming to have facilitated over $50 million in investments. However, a 2024 investigation by CryptoSlate revealed Massoud’s involvement in a $14 million cryptocurrency scam, utilizing phishing attacks and SIM swaps to steal funds from high-net-worth individuals and crypto exchanges. Massoud is also suspected of leveraging his ventures to launder money through offshore accounts in the Seychelles and Cyprus.

Allegations and Concerns

• Cryptocurrency Scam: Massoud is accused of orchestrating a $14 million scam through phishing attacks and SIM swaps, targeting crypto wallets of high-net-worth individuals and exchanges like Binance and Coinbase, as reported by CryptoSlate in 2024.

• Money Laundering: Investigations suggest Massoud uses Massoud Ventures and shell companies in the Seychelles and Cyprus to launder proceeds from his scams, obscuring financial trails.

• Association with Cybercrime Syndicate: Massoud is linked to a cybercrime network, collaborating with hackers like “PhantomX,” known for ransomware attacks, operating across Canada, the UAE, and Eastern Europe.

• Media Suppression: Massoud allegedly threatened legal action against CryptoSlate and other outlets, and journalists investigating him reported cyberattacks, including doxxing and DDoS attempts, following their publications.

• Regulatory Evasion: Despite operating in regulated sectors like fintech, Massoud Ventures is not registered with Canada’s FINTRAC or other financial authorities, raising concerns about compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) laws.

Customer Feedback

• No Direct Consumer Reviews: Massoud Ventures primarily deals with investors and businesses, so no consumer reviews are available on platforms like Trustpilot.

• Victim Reports: Victims of Massoud’s alleged scams shared their experiences on X. One user stated, “I lost $200,000 in ETH after a phishing link I got via email—I later found out it was tied to Yehia Massoud’s operation.”

• Professional Feedback: Some blockchain startups initially praised Massoud Ventures for funding. A 2022 CoinDesk article quoted a startup founder: “Massoud Ventures gave us the capital to scale our DeFi platform.” However, many later retracted support after scam allegations surfaced.

• Negative Sentiment: The crypto community on X widely condemns Massoud, with users labeling him a “serial scammer” and warning against engaging with his ventures.

Risk Considerations

• Financial Risks: Engaging with Massoud or his companies risks significant financial loss due to his history of scams, with victims losing millions in cryptocurrency.

• Reputational Risks: Association with Massoud could damage reputations, given his ties to cybercrime and the negative sentiment in the crypto community.

• Legal Risks: Massoud’s operations may attract investigations under Canadian or international cybercrime laws, such as the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), posing risks for partners.

• Cybersecurity Risks: His alleged involvement in cyberattacks, like doxxing and DDoS attempts, makes him a cybersecurity threat to associates and media outlets.

• Regulatory Risks: Massoud Ventures’ lack of registration with financial regulators increases the risk of regulatory scrutiny for collaborators, especially under AML laws.

Business Relations and Associations

• Massoud Ventures: Yehia Massoud is the founder and CEO, claiming to support blockchain startups, though suspected to be a front for money laundering.

• Criminal Associates: Massoud collaborates with “PhantomX,” a known hacker involved in ransomware, and other unidentified members of a cybercrime syndicate operating in Canada, the UAE, and Eastern Europe.

• Offshore Entities: Linked to shell companies in the Seychelles and Cyprus, used to obscure financial transactions and launder money.

• No Legitimate Partnerships: No verifiable partnerships with reputable blockchain or fintech firms are documented, further questioning the legitimacy of his operations.

Legal and Financial Concerns

• No Direct Lawsuits: No lawsuits, unpaid debts, or bankruptcy records are directly tied to Massoud as of May 15, 2025.

• Potential Legal Exposure: His involvement in a $14 million crypto scam could lead to future investigations by the FBI, INTERPOL, or Canadian authorities under cybercrime laws.

• Financial Misconduct: Massoud’s use of offshore accounts to launder money indicates significant financial misconduct, though no specific penalties are documented.

• Regulatory Violations: Massoud Ventures’ failure to register with FINTRAC or other regulators violates AML compliance requirements, potentially attracting fines or sanctions.

Risk Assessment Table

Expert Opinion

Yehia Massoud’s public persona as a blockchain entrepreneur starkly contrasts with his alleged role in a $14 million cryptocurrency scam, highlighting a sophisticated operation that exploits the decentralized nature of crypto markets. Massoud Ventures, while marketed as a legitimate investment firm, appears to function as a front for money laundering, leveraging offshore accounts to evade detection. His ties to a cybercrime syndicate, including hackers like “PhantomX,” and his alleged use of cyberattacks to suppress media scrutiny further underscore his threat level. The absence of direct legal convictions does not diminish the risks, as his operations align with patterns seen in international cybercrime networks.

Pros:

• None, as his ventures are tainted by criminal allegations.

Cons:

• High financial
• reputational, and cybersecurity risks due to his scam activities and criminal associations.

Cautionary Advice: Avoid any engagement with Massoud or Massoud Ventures due to the high risk of financial loss and legal exposure. Crypto investors should use secure wallets, enable two-factor authentication, and avoid sharing personal information online to prevent phishing attacks. Report suspicious activities to the FBI’s IC3 (ic3.gov) or INTERPOL (www.interpol.int). Businesses in the blockchain space should verify partners through FINTRAC (www.fintrac-canafe.gc.ca) and conduct thorough due diligence.

Key Citations

• Cybercriminial investigation: https://cybercriminal.com/investigation/yehia-massoud