Trust Game Under the Encrypted Fog: ZKasino Aftermath and WhiteRock_Fi New Mystery

Author:Dingdang , Odaily Planet Daily

In the world of cryptocurrencies, trust is a scarce resource, and scandals often spread faster than innovation. On March 16, the well-known crypto KOL He Bi ( @hebi 555 ) broke the news on the X platform that Prometheus, co-founder of the ZKasino project, which had previously swept away more than 10,000 ETH and had a valuation of up to US$350 million, is suspected to have returned to the world as a brand new identity and launched a new project @WhiteRock_Fi . He Bi calls on industry insiders to stay vigilant and prevent more investors from falling into potential.

The news quickly sparked heated discussion, after all, the shadow of ZKasino's "running away" has not yet dissipated . So, who is Prometheus sacred? What kind of story is hidden behind WhiteRock_Fi?

Review of ZKasino's runaway incident

ZKasino was once the dazzling new star of the zkSync ecosystem in 2024. It was initially positioned as a decentralized betting entertainment platform and then transformed into a "superchain" infrastructure, attracting a large number of investors with the "Bridge-to-Earn" campaign. However, the plot suddenly reversed in April: the project party suddenly changed the official website rules and announced that the 10,515 ETH deposited by users (worth about $33 million at the time) would be forced to be exchanged for ZKAS tokens and locked up for 15 months. This move was angrily denounced by the community as a "soft rug pull" (exit scam). Subsequently, the funds were quickly transferred to the Lido pledge platform, and the official communication channels were closed, and investors were completely in panic.

After the incident fermented, Dutch authorities arrested a 26-year-old man on May 3, suspected to be another co-founder of ZKasino, Elham N. (pseudonym Derivatives Monke), and seized $12.2 million worth of assets. However, Prometheus seems to have successfully "invisible" and has not been held accountable yet.

It is worth noting that ZKasino has been favored by institutions such as MEXC and Big Brain Holdings, and its valuation once soared to US$350 million. After the incident, the project party argued that the funds were safe and launched the so-called "refund application", but this did not calm the public anger. Investors lost all their money, and the community's trust in similar projects fell to the bottom. According to statistics from the Slow Fog Safety Agency , ZKasino ranked first among the top ten runaway incidents in 2024 with a $33 million amount involved, becoming a scar that the industry cannot be smoother.

Founder: From tech stars to controversial vortex

Although Prometheus's true identity has been a mystery to this day, he is by no means unknown in the crypto circle. He has participated in Zigzag Exchange, a well-known DEX project of the zkSync ecosystem, which raised a whopping $15 million in funding, earning him a good reputation. However, the ZKasino incident completely overturned his image.

Norwegian media Aftenbladet once reported that a young man from Rogaland (pseudonym Prometheus) was accused of snatching Norwegian kroner (about $35 million), and the community even offered a reward to track down his personal information. From a tech star to a wanted controversial figure, Prometheus's fall is a pity.

WhiteRock: The Temptation and Suspicion of Mysterious New Project

Recently, a new project called WhiteRock_Fi was quietly launched.

Regarding WhiteRock_Fi, the current public information is extremely limited. According to its official website ( whiterock.fi ), WhiteRock_Fi aims to tokenize traditional financial assets (such as stocks, bonds and real estate) through blockchain technology, promising to "unlock global liquidity and democratize financial participation." The project slogan is quite attractive: "Buy stocks, bonds and real estate in cryptocurrencies, and assets are guaranteed by smart contracts." As a project in the RWA (real world asset) track, WhiteRock_Fi seems to have seized the industry trend. However, its lack of white paper and clear team information creates doubts about its real implementation ability - after all, the RWA track connects traditional assets and relies heavily on team resources.

Currently, WhiteRock_Fi's token WHITE has been traded on platforms such as Uniswap V2. Although the transaction volume is limited, the popularity of community discussion is heating up, and its X account has attracted about 32,000 followers.

At this moment, He Bi's revelation cast a shadow on the project. He pointed out that Prometheus is suspected of operating WhiteRock_Fi as a new identity, and its operating model is surprisingly similar to ZKasino: high-profile marketing methods, KOL endorsement attracts funds, and hidden risks in the backdoor of code.

He Bi's revelation has sparked widespread discussion, and there is a message below his post saying:

We have just finished researching this project. The product is interesting, but the team composition, organization, and celebrity endorsement is unclear, which is a hidden danger.

I have been looking for the background of this project, which is very suspicious. The token pool has no depth and the claimed cooperation cannot be verified. The total amount of tokens was 65 billion, and he paid 1 billion to Trump. So it is tentatively a scam.

At present, there is no conclusive evidence that WhiteRock_Fi has begun raising funds to repeat ZKasino's "bridge scam", so it can only be regarded as a potential risk point worthy of attention at this stage. Meanwhile, WhiteRock_Fi's Telegram community has not yet formally responded to the allegations and continues to keep a mysterious low profile.

ZKasino's Funding Adventure: User Assets Bet

The ZKasino incident is far from over with a “refund commitment.” On-chain data analyst Yu Chen found that ZKasino's multi-signed wallet (suspected team control) has used user funds for high-risk operations many times, such as borrowing funds as collateral to other assets and participating in market speculation. The community speculates that this may be a performance of the team trying to make up for funding gaps or seek additional profits through risky investments. However, this wanton dominance of user assets not only exposes the team's integrity crisis, but also allows investors' last trace of trust in the safety of funds to disappear. He Bi's warning may be based on this background to remind the industry to be vigilant against Prometheus' new actions.

Industry reflection: How to rebuild trust?

From ZKasino to WhiteRock_Fi, the Prometheus story is like a mirror that reflects the deep dilemma of the crypto industry: the lack of regulation and transparency gives project parties an opportunity, and investors often wake up after losses occur. He Bi’s revelations are not only a question of WhiteRock_Fi, but also a wake-up call to the entire ecosystem - before participating in the new project, in-depth investigation of the team’s background and capital flow has become the law of survival.