A programmer calling himself “Hu Lezhi” sent over $5.6 million in Ethereum (ETH) to various addresses, including WikiLeaks and Ethereum’s “burn” address, along with wild messages accusing the Chinese military of using nanotechnology to control the population. This bizarre story, which mixes cryptocurrencies, whistleblowing, and conspiracy theories, raises questions about the individual’s mental health, the security of cryptocurrencies, and the use of blockchain to spread questionable messages. This article dissects the details of this surreal case and its implications.
The Crazy Programmer: Crazy Accusations and ETH Donations
The programmer, who goes by the pseudonym “Hu Lezhi,” sent a total of 2,047 ETH (approximately $5.6 million) to various addresses between February 10 and February 17. The largest portion, 711.5 ETH (approximately $2 million), was sent to WikiLeaks, along with a delusional onchain message accusing the Chinese military of using “brain nanocomputer chips” to control citizens. Lezhi also claims to have been a victim of these “brain weapons” since birth, saying he has been stripped of his dignity and wants the world to be destroyed.
In addition to WikiLeaks, Lezhi also sent 603 ETH (approximately $1.65 million) to the Ethereum “burn” address, along with similar messages. In addition, 700 ETH was sent to the “ndao.eth” address and 33 ETH to an unknown “Subsidy Provider” address. Lezhi has not made any other transactions since February 17 from the Ethereum address “0x1a19.” In his messages to WikiLeaks, Lezhi claims to be an “ordinary programmer” and contacted the organization as early as February 10 to alert it of a new form of crime that involves depriving the victim of their senses until they become a “complete slave to the digital machine.”
WizardQuant Accused: Implications and Reactions
Lezhi’s onchain message also accuses two executives of the hedge fund Kuande Investment (WizardQuant), Feng Xin and Xu Yuzhi, of using similar “computer brain weapons” to control their employees. WizardQuant, founded in 2014 and employing between 51 and 200 people, is a Shanghai and Beijing-based company that uses quantitative investment strategies to support its research and trading in the stock, futures, and options markets.
Lezhi’s accusations, while wild, highlight the potential risks of using blockchain to spread defamatory or unfounded messages. The case also raises questions about the need for increased security measures to prevent the use of cryptocurrencies for malicious purposes.
