Key Takeaways
- A new filing in the Coinbase breach case identifies an employee at TaskUs as the key conspirator.
- The worker allegedly stole and sold customer data for $200 per photo.
- Lawsuit accuses TaskUs of concealing the breach ahead of a $1.6B sale to Blackstone.
A bombshell court filing has unveiled new details in the Coinbase data breach that rocked the exchange earlier this year, exposing the depth of insider misconduct and alleged corporate cover-ups.
The amended complaint, filed Tuesday in the Southern District of New York, points to a TaskUs employee in India as the central figure in a scheme that compromised more than 69,000 Coinbase users.
TaskUs Employee Identified as Insider
The filing accuses Ashita Mishra, an employee at TaskUs’s Indore office, of orchestrating the breach.
Beginning in September 2024, Mishra allegedly photographed sensitive Coinbase customer data—up to 200 images daily—capturing names, addresses, emails, partial bank details, account balances, and even Social Security numbers.
Prosecutors say the images were sold to hackers for $200 apiece, with more than 10,000 customers’ details stored on Mishra’s personal device when she was arrested in January 2025.
Court documents also allege Mishra recruited supervisors and team leaders into the operation, turning what began as insider theft into a coordinated scheme.
Allegations of Concealment
The amended complaint expands the case against TaskUs, the U.S.-based outsourcing firm Coinbase hired to handle customer support.
Plaintiffs argue that TaskUs engaged in “a pattern of concealment,” firing internal investigators and downplaying the breach in its regulatory filings.
The lawsuit claims the firm deliberately withheld the incident while moving ahead with its $1.6 billion acquisition by Blackstone.
Damages are estimated to exceed $400 million, though Coinbase stresses that fewer than 1% of its active users were affected.
Coinbase’s Response
Coinbase said it quickly notified customers and regulators once the breach surfaced in May 2025, reimbursed affected users, and terminated its relationship with TaskUs.
The exchange also launched a $20 million bounty for information leading to arrests and convictions.
“We refused to pay the criminals, we strengthened our vendor and insider controls, and we cut ties with TaskUs,” Coinbase said in a statement.
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Prashant Jha is a seasoned crypto journalist based in Delhi, India, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science Engineering. Passionate about the evolving world of blockchain and cryptocurrencies, he has been a dedicated voice in the industry since 2018. Prashant’s expertise lies in regulatory reporting, where he unravels complex legal and financial developments with clarity and precision. Before joining CCN in 2024, he honed his craft at Cointelegraph, establishing himself as a trusted name in crypto journalism.
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