Original | Odaily Planet Daily ( @OdailyChina )
Author | Dingdang ( @XiaMiPP )
In the world of cryptocurrency, 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, the co-founder of the ZKasino project, which had previously taken away more than 10,000 ETH and was valued at $350 million, was suspected to have re-emerged in a new identity and launched a new project @WhiteRock_Fi . He Bi called on industry insiders to remain vigilant to prevent more investors from falling into potential traps.
This news quickly sparked heated discussions, after all, the shadow of ZKasinos running away has not yet dissipated . So, who exactly is Prometheus? What kind of story is hidden behind WhiteRock_Fi?
Review of ZKasinos escape
ZKasino was once the shining star of the zkSync ecosystem in 2024. It was initially positioned as a decentralized guessing entertainment platform, and then transformed into a super chain infrastructure, attracting a large number of investors with the Bridge-to-Earn event. However, the plot suddenly reversed in April: the project suddenly modified the official website rules and announced that the 10,515 ETH deposited by users (worth about 33 million US dollars at the time) would be forcibly exchanged for ZKAS tokens and locked for 15 months. This move was denounced by the community as a soft rug pull (exit scam). Subsequently, the funds were quickly transferred to the Lido staking platform, and the official communication channels were closed, and investors fell into panic.
After the incident fermented, the Dutch authorities arrested a 26-year-old man on May 3rd, suspected to be another co-founder of ZKasino, Elham N. (alias Derivatives Monke), and seized assets worth $12.2 million. However, Prometheus seems to have successfully hidden and has not been held accountable so far.
It is worth noting that ZKasino was 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 funds were safe and launched a so-called refund application, but this did not calm the public anger. Investors lost all their money, and the communitys trust in similar projects fell to the bottom. According to statistics from the SlowMist Security Agency , ZKasino ranked first among the top ten runaway incidents in 2024 with a case amount of US$33 million, becoming an unhealable scar in the industry.
Founder: From tech star to controversial vortex
Although Prometheus true identity remains a mystery, he is by no means unknown in the crypto community. He once participated in the well-known DEX project Zigzag Exchange in the zkSync ecosystem, which raised $15 million and earned him a good reputation. However, the ZKasino incident completely overturned his image.
The Norwegian media Aftenbladet once reported that a young man from Rogaland (alias Prometheus) was accused of embezzling 350 million Norwegian kroner (about 35 million US dollars), and the community even offered a reward for tracking down his personal information. From a technology star to a wanted controversial figure, Prometheuss fall is regrettable.
WhiteRock: The lure and mystery of a mysterious new project
Recently, a new project called WhiteRock_Fi was quietly launched.
There is currently very limited public information about WhiteRock_Fi. According to its official website ( whiterock.fi ) introduced that 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: Use cryptocurrency to buy stocks, bonds and real estate, and assets are protected by smart contracts. As a project in the RWA (real world asset) track, WhiteRock_Fi seems to have caught the industry trend. However, its lack of a white paper and clear team information makes people doubt its real landing ability - after all, the RWA track connects traditional assets and relies heavily on team resources.
Currently, WhiteRock_Fi’s token WHITE has been listed for trading on platforms such as Uniswap V2. Although the trading volume is limited, community discussions are heating up, and its X account has attracted about 32,000 followers.
At this moment, He Bis revelations cast a shadow on the project. He pointed out that Prometheus is suspected of operating WhiteRock_Fi under a new identity, and its operating model is surprisingly similar to ZKasino: high-profile marketing methods, KOL endorsements to attract funds, and hidden risks in the code backdoor.
He Bis revelation sparked widespread discussion, with a comment below his post saying:
We have just finished studying this project. The product is interesting, but the team composition, organization, and celebrity endorsement are unclear, which is a potential risk.
I have been looking for the background of this project. It is very suspicious. The token pool is not deep and the claimed cooperation cannot be verified. The total amount of tokens is 65 billion, and 1 billion was transferred to Trump. So it is temporarily considered a scam.
At present, there is no solid evidence that WhiteRock_Fi has started to raise funds to repeat ZKasino’s “bridge scam”, so at this stage it can only be regarded as a potential risk point worthy of attention. At the same time, WhiteRock_Fi’s Telegram community has not yet made an official response to the allegations, and continues to remain mysterious and low-key.
ZKasino’s financial risk: user assets become stakes
The ZKasino incident is far from over with the refund promise. On-chain data analyst Yu Jin found that ZKasinos multi-signature wallet (suspected to be controlled by the team) had repeatedly used user funds for high-risk operations, such as using funds as collateral to borrow other assets and participate in market speculation. The community speculated that this might be a manifestation of the teams attempt to make up for the funding gap or seek additional profits through risky investments. However, this wanton control of user assets not only exposed the teams credibility crisis, but also made investors last bit of trust in the safety of funds disappear. He Bis warning may be based on this background, reminding the industry to be vigilant about Prometheuss new moves.
Industry reflection: How to rebuild trust?
From ZKasino to WhiteRock_Fi, the story of Prometheus is like a mirror, reflecting the deep dilemma of the crypto industry: the lack of supervision and transparency allows project owners to take advantage, and investors often wake up only after the losses occur. He Bis revelations are not only a question to WhiteRock_Fi, but also a wake-up call to the entire ecosystem - before participating in a new project, in-depth investigation of the team background and capital flow has become a survival rule.
