Russian high-risk poker player Stefan “stefan11222” Burakov accuses his ex-girlfriend Alena Mironenko of stealing $3 million in cryptocurrency. This accusation was made in a discussion on the Russian poker forum GypsyTeam, indicating that the alleged theft occurred two years ago when Burakov inadvertently provided access to his crypto wallet seed phrase through an iPad.
Burakov is a well-known figure in the online poker community, and he revealed that the mnemonic—a key piece of information for accessing cryptocurrency wallets—was stored on the device he handed over to Mironenko. Mnemonics are usually a series of random words generated by wallet software and must be kept secure. According to Burakov, this security lapse allowed Mironenko unauthorized access to his digital assets.
In his forum post, Burakov took responsibility for his mistake, admitting that he gave the iPad containing the mnemonic to Mironenko. He expressed regret over the situation but also claimed that there was a silver lining, as it taught him a valuable lesson and ultimately made him stronger. Burakov mentioned that he considered taking more drastic measures to recover the stolen funds but ultimately decided against it, indicating his restraint in the matter.
Mironenko responded to these accusations the next day, strongly denying any involvement in the theft. She pointed out that multiple people could access the device containing the mnemonic image and claimed that she had warned Burakov about this vulnerability. Additionally, Mironenko stated that another person named by Burakov, Maxim Shatilov, was also not involved in the incident.
The public nature of this dispute has attracted significant attention in the poker and cryptocurrency communities. While Burakov hinted that there is more to the story, he has yet to provide further details. In a subsequent post, he cryptically hinted at further developments, likening the situation to a poker game where the “flop” has already occurred, but there are still several rounds of betting before the showdown.
Stefan “stefan11222” Burakov is a prominent figure in the online poker world, particularly known for his strength in high-stakes cash games. Originating from Russia, he is regarded as one of the boldest and most unconventional players in the poker world, often making bold moves that disregard standard strategies.
His fearless approach has brought him tremendous success, including numerous victories in prestigious online poker tournaments and cash games. Burakov is renowned for his ability to read opponents and exploit weaknesses, which has allowed him to accumulate substantial winnings and solidify his status as a top poker player.
