Robert Robb, an MEV engineer known as “pokerbrat” in the crypto community, has been apprehended by U.S. law enforcement, as reported by the Henderson Police authority. The reason for his arrest on March 20 remains unclear at this time. However, ZachXBT, who brought attention to the situation, suggests that it may be linked to a previous rug pull orchestrated by Robb.
The story began unfolding in December 2023 when ZachXBT exposed Robb’s alleged fraudulent activities. According to the disclosure, Robb devised a complex scheme that resulted in him defrauding eleven individuals of more than $1.2 million.
The victims had invested in various Miner Extractable Value (MEV) bots, with promises from Robb that the bots would soon be operational. However, instead of fulfilling his commitments, Robb disappeared with the investors’ money, leaving them in a state of frustration.
Excuses given for the delays ranged from COVID-related issues to health problems, exchange malfunctions, and even claims of extortion. As a result, the affected investors explored various avenues to recover their funds, some turning to ZachXBT for assistance in seeking justice.
In a surprising turn of events, it was revealed in December 2023 that Robb had a history of fraudulent activities. He had previously pleaded guilty to a $4 million scam in 2002 and was sentenced to three years in 2007 for defrauding multiple victims in Colorado.
Following ZachXBT’s revelations, Robb threatened legal action against him and maintained his plans to launch the MEV project. The recent arrest, occurring three months after the alleged $1.2 million rug pull case, has left the crypto community eagerly anticipating the release of court documents to provide more insight into Robb’s arrest.
While the exact charges against Robb have not been disclosed, the evidence strongly suggests his involvement in the alleged rug pull. The crypto industry has been plagued by such scams due to a lack of robust regulatory measures, with data showing that scammers stole $295 million from over 300,000 victims in 2023.