SIM Swapping and Cryptocurrency Theft: How These Cases Are Charged in Florida

A stolen phone number doesn't sound like a violent crime. In one Florida-linked federal case, SIM swapping was the opening stage of a scheme that later escalated to armed home invasions. The case illustrates how SIM-swapping allegations can become part of a much broader criminal prosecution.

The Latest: Florida-Linked Cases Have Produced Lengthy Federal Sentences

SIM swapping is an established account-takeover technique used to intercept authentication codes and gain access to cryptocurrency and other online accounts. Florida residents have figured prominently in several recent federal SIM-swap prosecutions. Beginning in late 2020, West Palm Beach resident Jarod Seemungal and foreign co-conspirators used SIM swapping to gain control of victims' phone numbers and steal cryptocurrency from exchange accounts. The Justice Department says the broader conspiracy stole more than $3.5 million from victims through SIM swapping and violent home invasions. In 2022, Seemungal and his co-conspirators devised a home-invasion scheme and recruited Remy St Felix and others; St Felix later led the home-invasion crew. Seemungal was sentenced to 20 years for his role in the cryptocurrency-hacking and home-invasion schemes. St Felix, who led the violent home-invasion crew, received 47 years. Separately, Florida resident Noah Urban, identified in cybersecurity reporting as a member of the Scattered Spider group, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison and ordered to pay $13 million in restitution for his role in SIM-swap-enabled cryptocurrency theft. These cases reflect a broader trend. In June 2026, Polish cybercrime authorities, with operational support from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, arrested four suspected members of a group accused of SIM-swapping, digital-asset theft, and money laundering. Polish authorities estimated that the group had laundered tens of millions of Polish zlotys, equivalent to several million U.S. dollars at then-current exchange rates. The operation is another example of continuing international law-enforcement activity involving SIM swapping and digital-asset theft.

How These Cases Get Charged

SIM-swap and cryptocurrency-theft cases can involve multiple charges arising from the same alleged conduct. Depending on the conduct alleged, defendants can face:

• Conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse, tied to the unauthorized access of carrier systems or victim accounts.
• Access device fraud and identity theft, including aggravated identity theft. When aggravated identity theft applies, it carries a mandatory two-year prison term that generally runs consecutively to the sentence for the underlying felony.
• Wire fraud and money laundering, including alleged transfers or laundering of stolen cryptocurrency through exchanges, wallets, or other transactions involving criminal proceeds.
• Extortion or robbery charges, in cases — like the Florida home invasion scheme — where the crime escalates beyond purely digital methods.

Because these schemes typically involve several participants playing different roles — the person who social-engineers the carrier, the person who accesses the crypto accounts, and the people who launder or cash out the proceeds — prosecutors can use conspiracy charges to sweep in people whose individual role was more limited than the headline dollar figure suggests, if they allege the person knowingly joined the criminal agreement.

Protecting Yourself as a Potential Target

Even setting aside the criminal defense side, cryptocurrency holders remain frequent targets in SIM-swap cases. The FBI recommends limiting public disclosure of financial and cryptocurrency holdings, strengthening security on your mobile-carrier account, and using an authenticator app or physical security key instead of SMS authentication where possible. SIM swaps specifically exploit the weakness of text-message verification codes.

FAQ: SIM Swapping and Crypto Theft Charges

I helped move cryptocurrency for someone but didn't do the actual SIM swap — can I still be charged? Potentially. A person who knowingly joins a criminal agreement or knowingly conducts transactions involving criminal proceeds can face conspiracy or money-laundering charges, depending on what the government can prove about that person's knowledge, intent, and conduct.

What if I didn't know the crypto I was helping move was stolen? Knowledge and intent are central to many of these charges. Evidence that you reasonably believed the transactions were lawful may be relevant to disputing the government's proof of criminal intent, though the issue has to be evaluated against the specific facts investigators have gathered.

How do investigators actually build these cases? Blockchain transaction tracing, carrier and account records, device and communications evidence, and financial records connecting cashed-out funds to specific individuals can form the backbone of these investigations — which is why digital forensics review is often central to the defense as well.

Is this always charged federally, or can Florida prosecute these cases too? Both. Depending on the scope, agencies involved, and dollar amounts, these cases can be charged as Florida state crimes, federal crimes, or both simultaneously.

What should I do if federal agents contact me about a cryptocurrency investigation? Don't provide a statement or explanation before speaking with an attorney, even if you believe your involvement was minor or unwitting. What seems like a small role can look different once it's placed inside a larger conspiracy charge.

One Call Before You Say Anything

SIM swap and cryptocurrency theft cases can move quickly from account-access allegations into multi-defendant conspiracy charges. OneCallLegal's cyber crimes attorneys are available 24/7 to review the evidence against you.

Call 1.855.5000.LAW, available 24/7, for a free consultation, or schedule a consultation.