Mistrial declared for MIT-educated brothers accused of $25 million cryptocurrency heist

A gavel and a block is pictured at the George Glazer Gallery antique store in this illustration picture taken in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., August 18, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/Illustration

(Reuters) -A federal judge on Friday declared a mistrial in the case of two Massachusetts Institute of Technology-educated brothers charged with carrying out a novel scheme to steal $25 million worth of cryptocurrency in 12 seconds that prosecutors said exploited the Ethereum blockchain's integrity.

U.S. District Judge Jessica Clarke in Manhattan sent jurors home after they were unable to reach agreement on whether to convict or acquit Anton Peraire-Bueno and James Peraire-Bueno of charges that they carried out a first-of-its-kind wire fraud and money laundering scheme.