EXCLUSIVE: X says ex-manager took $12,000 in crypto and bribed employee to restore scam accounts

A previously unreported lawsuit describes an unofficial market for bans, recoveries and valuable usernames. New discovery filings show how far the alleged backchannel may have reached.

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RUNTIMEWIRE INVESTIGATION — Exclusive

Original reporting by RuntimeWire.

Why it matters

Crypto projects depend heavily on X for identity and distribution. If proven, the alleged scheme shows how paid internal access could restore scam accounts or redirect valuable handles.

Illustration of X's ex-manager handing crypto and cash to an employee in an illicit exchange to restore scam accounts.

At 10:38 p.m. on New Year's Day 2025, Erick McAfee was nearing the end of his last day at X. He had given notice a month earlier. Before he left, according to a lawsuit filed by the company, the senior manager emailed himself a list of contact information for members of his team.…

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