Hackers use PUBG to coordinate $2.47 million theft from Turkish crypto firm

A nationwide simultaneous raid by Turkish authorities led to the detention of team of alleged hackers accused of stealing nearly $2.5 million worth of crypto from a firm in Turkey this week, according to local news organization Daily Sabah. The group reportedly used the chat feature in the popular online battle royale video game PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) to orchestrate the theft.

The firm, which has not been identified in news reports, is described in local media as a cryptocurrency company based in Istanbul. The company itself reported the hack to Turkish police, stating that "a large amount" of bitcoin, ethereum and ripple had been stolen from two of its virtual money accounts.

The Istanbul Cybercrime Branch Office coordinated the operation across eight Istanbul provinces, detaining 24 suspects, according Daily Sabah. Of those detained, 22 were referred to the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan, where six were arrested by the court and 16 more were given conditional release. Two more suspects were released outright.

The raids only recovered some 1.35 million lira (USD $255,000), just under 10 percent of the amount stolen.