On Thursday evening last week, a hacker stole 119 ETH from Murray’s digital wallet.
Want to have a beer with Bill Murray?
With a career spanning four decades, and fans worldwide, there is no shortage of demand for a brew with Bill.
Murray has a unique energy about him. He is a combination of both hope and hopelessness manifesting at the same time–a quirky everyman that embraces life and connects with people from all corners of the globe. His roles range from comedic to dramatic, and his presence is guaranteed to light up a room.
No wonder an auction to meet the actor would gain so much attention and raise a substantial amount of money.
Many were bidding to meet the actor/icon to raise money for charity; however, a hacker was closely watching Murray’s crypto wallet and waiting to steal the funds.
ETH Drained, but NFTs Saved
On Thursday evening last week, a hacker stole 119 ETH from Murray’s digital wallet, just as the actor’s fundraising auction of a “Beer with Bill Murray” NFT was closing. That’s equivalent to $185,000.
The person with the winning bid will get to meet the famed actor while an artist paints the scene on canvas. The painting will then be turned into a digital copy, while the monies raised will go to Chive Charities, an organization that supports underserved veterans, military families, and first responders.
Brant Boersma was the winning bidder, beating six other people who made a total of 60 bids.
After the hacking activity was discovered, the runner-up, Coinbase user Mishap72, sent 120 ETH to Chive to reimburse the charity for the drained wallet, a marketplace representative told CoinDesk.
The stolen funds went to a wallet address linked to the Binance exchange and Unionchain.ai.
Murray’s security team, Project Venkman, stepped in and saved his extensive NFT collection from being stolen. The actor has 800 NFTs in his collection, including CryptoPunks, a Pudgy Penguin, a Cool Cat, and several Flower Girls.
The hacker has yet to be identified, but Murray’s team has filed a police report. It’s working with Chainalysis, a crypto analytics firm, to bring the thief to justice.
Crypto heists remain lucrative. Nearly $2 billion in cryptocurrency has been stolen so far in 2022, according to a study by Chainalysis.
The Charitable Icon
Bill Murray is no stranger to raising money. The famed actor hosts a golf tournament yearly with his brothers to generate funds for Florida-based charities. The Murray Bros. Caddyshack Golf Tournament will celebrate its 22nd anniversary next spring.
The Caddyshack Tournament is known for its concerts, parties, and an un-stuffy vibe. “Don’t expect a country club sit-down dinner because our event is like no other,” their website states. In their cover photo, the brothers don Hawaiian shirts and sneakers, and toast each other while sitting on the edge of a sand trap.
The Murray brothers have helped raise about $3.5 million over the past two decades for charities. One thing remains clear: despite his recent run-in with cybercriminals, Bill Murray will continue to use his zest for life and his everyman personality to raise money.
About Kit
Kit Campoy is a former retail professional turned freelance writer. She writes about Leadership, Retail, and Web3. Contact Kit for your content needs.