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{"actor":"system:backfill","investigation_id":"b501a392-df51-40a0-8f74-d8c3e590bd81","kind":"publish","page_slug":"brooks-bauer","published_at":"2026-09-23T17:18:00.980Z","sequence_num":1,"snapshot":{"content_type":"investigation","entity_name":"Brooks Bauer","sections":[{"content":"Brooks Bauer, known online as @WheresBroox, held a senior business development position at Axiom Exchange, a Solana-based onchain trading platform founded in 2024 and backed by Y Combinator's Winter 2025 cohort. Bauer was based in New York. His business development role gave him routine access to Axiom's internal customer support and administrative dashboards. ZachXBT's February 26, 2026 investigation named Bauer as 'one of multiple Axiom Exchange employees' allegedly abusing the lack of access controls on those tools.","heading":"Identity and Role at Axiom Exchange","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"ZachXBT on X — original thread naming @WheresBroox","type":"social_media","url":"https://x.com/zachxbt/status/2027016064534757659"},{"credibility":1,"name":"ZachXBT alleges Axiom employee conducted insider trading — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/26/zachxbt-alleges-axiom-employee-conducted-insider-trading"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Solana trading platform employees accused of insider trading — DL News","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.dlnews.com/articles/defi/axiom-employees-accused-of-insider-trading-using-sensitive-customer-data/"}]},{"content":"ZachXBT alleged that Bauer exploited Axiom's internal administrative dashboard — which reportedly lacked any meaningful access controls — to look up non-public user information, including linked wallet addresses, tracked wallet lists, transaction histories, wallet labels, and linked social accounts. According to the investigation, Bauer and a small group of associates used this data to identify and monitor the wallets of prominent traders and crypto influencers, then allegedly front-ran those traders' positions. The scheme allegedly began in early 2025, shortly after Axiom's platform launch, and continued for approximately 10 months before ZachXBT's disclosure. According to multiple reporting outlets citing ZachXBT's findings, the group is alleged to have profited over $400,000 through this activity. These remain allegations; no court or regulatory body has adjudicated them.","heading":"Alleged Insider Trading Scheme","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"ZachXBT alleges Axiom employee conducted insider trading — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/26/zachxbt-alleges-axiom-employee-conducted-insider-trading"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Axiom Crypto Exposed: ZachXBT Alleges $400k Insider Trading — CryptoNews","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptonews.com/news/axiom-crypto-data-scandal-insider-trading-governance-failures/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Breaking: ZachXBT accuses Axiom employees of insider trading — crypto.news","type":"news_article","url":"https://crypto.news/zachxbt-axiom-employees-insider-trading-report-2026/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Axiom Exchange Insider Trading Scandal — 99Bitcoins / TradingView News","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.tradingview.com/news/99Bitcoins:351a5884f094b:0-axiom-exchange-insider-trading-scandal-is-your-trading-data-being-used-against-you/"}]},{"content":"ZachXBT's investigation cited several categories of evidence. First, leaked audio recordings from a private group call in early February 2026 in which a person identified as Bauer allegedly stated he could track 'any Axiom user' by referral code, wallet address, or user ID and could 'find out anything to do with that person.' In the same recording, Bauer allegedly described a plan to help an associate (referred to as 'Gowno' or 'Seb') generate $200,000 by exploiting internal access, and described starting with 10–20 wallets and gradually scaling to avoid detection. Second, screenshots of Axiom's internal dashboard allegedly showing Bauer or associates looking up named traders, including individuals referred to as 'Jerry' and 'Monix,' with activity documented between April and August 2025. Third, a Google Sheet allegedly compiled by the group mapping target wallet addresses obtained through the internal dashboard. Fourth, on-chain analysis by ZachXBT linking wallet clusters to Bauer's identity. ZachXBT stated that multiple individuals whose data appeared in leaked screenshots confirmed the accuracy of the data shown. DL News reported that Bauer did not respond to a comment request.","heading":"Evidence Presented by ZachXBT","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Breaking: ZachXBT accuses Axiom employees of insider trading — crypto.news","type":"news_article","url":"https://crypto.news/zachxbt-axiom-employees-insider-trading-report-2026/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Solana trading platform employees accused of insider trading — DL News","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.dlnews.com/articles/defi/axiom-employees-accused-of-insider-trading-using-sensitive-customer-data/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Leaked Call, Private Wallets, $200K Plan — CryptoPotato","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptopotato.com/leaked-call-private-wallets-200k-plan-inside-the-axiom-insider-trading-allegations/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ZachXBT on X — original thread","type":"social_media","url":"https://x.com/zachxbt/status/2027016064534757659"}]},{"content":"ZachXBT's investigation did not limit its allegations to Bauer alone. The report identified several additional individuals described as employees or associates who were allegedly involved in or aware of the internal dashboard lookups. These individuals were referred to by their online handles: Ryan (Ryucio), Gowno (Seb), and a platform moderator known as Mystery. The specific roles and alleged levels of participation of these individuals were not detailed in publicly available reporting with the same specificity as Bauer. All allegations against these individuals are unproven and contested.","heading":"Other Alleged Participants","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"ZachXBT alleges Axiom employee conducted insider trading — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/26/zachxbt-alleges-axiom-employee-conducted-insider-trading"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Breaking: ZachXBT accuses Axiom employees of insider trading — crypto.news","type":"news_article","url":"https://crypto.news/zachxbt-axiom-employees-insider-trading-report-2026/"}]},{"content":"A secondary layer of allegations emerged on February 27, 2026, when CoinDesk reported that traders appeared to have placed bets on Polymarket's prediction market — which asked which company ZachXBT would name in an insider trading expose — shortly before the Axiom report went public, at a time when market-assessed probability of Axiom being named stood at approximately 13.8%. At least 12 wallets collectively profited over $1 million from these bets. One account identified as 'predictorxyz' converted a $65,800 bet into approximately $411,000 in profit. Over $38 million in Polymarket volume was tied to the ZachXBT reveal. On-chain analysts noted the bets were placed by newly created wallets, suggesting advance knowledge of the report's contents. Whether these Polymarket trades are directly linked to Bauer or other Axiom employees has not been publicly confirmed. These are allegations reported by journalists and on-chain analysts, not adjudicated findings.","heading":"Polymarket Front-Running Allegations","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Polymarket bettors appear to have insider-traded on a market designed to catch insider traders — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/27/polymarket-bettors-appear-to-have-insider-traded-on-a-market-designed-to-catch-insider-traders"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Axiom Wallet Tracking Scandal Tied To $400K Polymarket Insider Bets — BlockNow","type":"news_article","url":"https://blocknow.com/axiom-wallet-tracking-scandal-tied-to-400k-polymarket-insider-bets/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ZachXBT Axiom Expose Sparked 411% Polymarket Returns — The Coin Republic","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.thecoinrepublic.com/2026/02/28/zachxbt-axiom-expose-sparked-411-polymarket-returns-as-an-insider-bet-at-13-8-odds/"}]},{"content":"Following ZachXBT's publication, Axiom Exchange issued a public statement on X, saying: 'We are shocked and disappointed to hear that someone on our team abused internal customer support tools to look up user wallets.' The company confirmed it had revoked access to the internal tools in question and stated it would 'continue to investigate and hold the responsible parties accountable.' Axiom also pledged to implement zero-trust architecture requiring multi-party authorization for access to sensitive data. Axiom's public statement did not name Bauer specifically, nor confirm or deny the specific allegations in ZachXBT's report. The platform did not publicly confirm whether Bauer or other named individuals were suspended or terminated, as of reporting available through September 2026.","heading":"Axiom Exchange Response and Remediation","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"ZachXBT alleges Axiom employee conducted insider trading — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/26/zachxbt-alleges-axiom-employee-conducted-insider-trading"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Y Combinator-Backed Axiom Exchange Employees Accused of Insider Trading — Yahoo Finance","type":"news_article","url":"https://finance.yahoo.com/news/y-combinator-backed-axiom-exchange-153837071.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Axiom Exchange insider trading: senior staffer alleged misconduct — Cryptonomist","type":"news_article","url":"https://en.cryptonomist.ch/2026/02/26/axiom-insider-trading/"}]},{"content":"As of September 2026, no criminal charges, indictment, or regulatory enforcement action by the SEC, CFTC, or DOJ against Brooks Bauer has been publicly confirmed. ZachXBT's report noted that given Bauer's New York location, the matter would likely fall within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY). Law firm Kneupper & Covey announced it was investigating potential civil claims on behalf of Axiom users who may have been harmed, and noted the matter could be suitable for a class action; however, no filed lawsuit has been publicly confirmed. All allegations against Bauer remain unproven in any court or regulatory proceeding as of the last available reporting.","heading":"Legal and Regulatory Status","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Solana trading platform employees accused of insider trading — DL News","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.dlnews.com/articles/defi/axiom-employees-accused-of-insider-trading-using-sensitive-customer-data/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Kneupper & Covey PC — Axiom Lawsuit Investigation","type":"other","url":"https://kneuppercovey.com/axiom-lawsuit-investigation/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ZachXBT Names Axiom Employee in Alleged Insider Trading Probe — CoinLaw","type":"news_article","url":"https://coinlaw.io/zachxbt-axiom-employee-alleged-insider-trading-probe/"}]},{"content":"The primary source of allegations is ZachXBT, a pseudonymous on-chain investigator with a track record of accurate disclosures but whose reports constitute investigative findings rather than legal adjudications. ZachXBT's original thread on X is the root source; secondary coverage from CoinDesk (Tier 1), DL News (Tier 2), crypto.news, and Yahoo Finance corroborates the main factual outline. Audio recordings and screenshots cited in ZachXBT's report have not been independently authenticated by a court or forensic third party. The absence of a public response or denial from Bauer, combined with Axiom's admission that internal tool abuse occurred, lends corroboration to the general outline of the allegations. Financial figures ($400,000+ in alleged profits) are drawn from multiple independent reporting outlets citing ZachXBT's analysis, not from public financial records or court filings.","heading":"Source Credibility and Confidence Notes","severity":"low","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"ZachXBT on X — original thread","type":"social_media","url":"https://x.com/zachxbt/status/2027016064534757659"},{"credibility":1,"name":"ZachXBT alleges Axiom employee conducted insider trading — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/26/zachxbt-alleges-axiom-employee-conducted-insider-trading"}]}],"sources_used":[{"credibility":2,"name":"ZachXBT on X — original investigation thread naming @WheresBroox (Broox Bauer)","type":"social_media","url":"https://x.com/zachxbt/status/2027016064534757659"},{"credibility":1,"name":"ZachXBT alleges Axiom employee conducted insider trading — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/26/zachxbt-alleges-axiom-employee-conducted-insider-trading"},{"credibility":1,"name":"The Protocol: Blockchain sleuth ZachXBT alleges Axiom employee conducted insider trading — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2026/02/26/the-protocol-blockchain-sleuth-zachxbt-alleges-axiom-employee-conducted-insider-trading"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Polymarket bettors appear to have insider-traded on a market designed to catch insider traders — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/27/polymarket-bettors-appear-to-have-insider-traded-on-a-market-designed-to-catch-insider-traders"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Y Combinator-Backed Axiom Exchange Employees Accused of Insider Trading: ZachXBT — Yahoo Finance","type":"news_article","url":"https://finance.yahoo.com/news/y-combinator-backed-axiom-exchange-153837071.html"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Solana trading platform employees accused of insider trading using sensitive customer data — DL News","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.dlnews.com/articles/defi/axiom-employees-accused-of-insider-trading-using-sensitive-customer-data/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Breaking: ZachXBT accuses Axiom employees of insider trading — crypto.news","type":"news_article","url":"https://crypto.news/zachxbt-axiom-employees-insider-trading-report-2026/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Axiom Crypto Exposed: ZachXBT Alleges $400k Insider Trading — CryptoNews","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptonews.com/news/axiom-crypto-data-scandal-insider-trading-governance-failures/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ZachXBT Exposes Axiom Insider Trading Scandal Involving Internal Tool Abuse — FinanceFeeds","type":"news_article","url":"https://financefeeds.com/zachxbt-exposes-axiom-insider-trading-scandal-involving-internal-tool-abuse/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Leaked Call, Private Wallets, $200K Plan: Inside the Axiom Insider Trading Allegations — CryptoPotato","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptopotato.com/leaked-call-private-wallets-200k-plan-inside-the-axiom-insider-trading-allegations/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Axiom insider trading: senior staffer alleged misconduct — Cryptonomist","type":"news_article","url":"https://en.cryptonomist.ch/2026/02/26/axiom-insider-trading/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ZachXBT Names Axiom Exchange in Alleged Employee Crypto Insider Trading Investigation — CoinGape","type":"news_article","url":"https://coingape.com/zachxbt-names-axiom-exchange-in-alleged-employee-crypto-insider-trading-investigation/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Axiom Wallet Tracking Scandal Tied To $400K Polymarket Insider Bets — BlockNow","type":"news_article","url":"https://blocknow.com/axiom-wallet-tracking-scandal-tied-to-400k-polymarket-insider-bets/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ZachXBT Axiom Expose Sparked 411% Polymarket Returns as an Insider Bet at 13.8% Odds — The Coin Republic","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.thecoinrepublic.com/2026/02/28/zachxbt-axiom-expose-sparked-411-polymarket-returns-as-an-insider-bet-at-13-8-odds/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Kneupper & Covey PC — Axiom Lawsuit Investigation page","type":"other","url":"https://kneuppercovey.com/axiom-lawsuit-investigation/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ZachXBT Names Axiom Employee in Alleged Insider Trading Probe — CoinLaw","type":"news_article","url":"https://coinlaw.io/zachxbt-axiom-employee-alleged-insider-trading-probe/"}],"summary":"Brooks Bauer (online handle @WheresBroox) was a senior business development employee at Y Combinator-backed Axiom Exchange based in New York. On February 26, 2026, on-chain investigator ZachXBT published an investigation alleging Bauer was the primary actor in a scheme spanning roughly 10 months in which he exploited Axiom's internal back-end tools — which lacked access controls — to look up sensitive user wallet data and coordinate front-running trades, allegedly profiting over $400,000. Axiom stated it was 'shocked and disappointed,' revoked tool access, and launched an internal investigation; no criminal charges have been publicly confirmed as of September 2026.","timeline":[{"date":"2025-01-01","event":"Axiom Exchange platform launches on Solana, approximately when ZachXBT's investigation alleged the internal tool abuse began.","source":"crypto.news / DL News","source_url":"https://crypto.news/zachxbt-axiom-employees-insider-trading-report-2026/"},{"date":"2025-04-01","event":"Screenshots cited by ZachXBT reportedly show internal Axiom dashboards being used to look up named traders' wallet data, with documented activity beginning around this period.","source":"crypto.news","source_url":"https://crypto.news/zachxbt-axiom-employees-insider-trading-report-2026/"},{"date":"2026-02-01","event":"Recorded private group call in which a person identified as Bauer allegedly describes a plan for an associate to earn $200,000 by exploiting internal Axiom access.","source":"DL News / crypto.news","source_url":"https://www.dlnews.com/articles/defi/axiom-employees-accused-of-insider-trading-using-sensitive-customer-data/"},{"date":"2026-02-26","event":"ZachXBT publishes full investigation on X, naming Brooks Bauer (@WheresBroox) as primary alleged actor in the scheme and describing the internal tool abuse, audio evidence, and on-chain analysis.","source":"ZachXBT on X / CoinDesk","source_url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/26/zachxbt-alleges-axiom-employee-conducted-insider-trading"},{"date":"2026-02-26","event":"Axiom Exchange issues public statement saying it is 'shocked and disappointed,' revokes access to internal tools, and commits to an internal investigation.","source":"CoinDesk / Yahoo Finance","source_url":"https://finance.yahoo.com/news/y-combinator-backed-axiom-exchange-153837071.html"},{"date":"2026-02-27","event":"CoinDesk reports that traders appear to have placed advance bets on Polymarket — before the Axiom report was public — with at least one wallet turning $65,800 into approximately $411,000 in profit; over $38 million in Polymarket volume driven by the reveal.","source":"CoinDesk","source_url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/27/polymarket-bettors-appear-to-have-insider-traded-on-a-market-designed-to-catch-insider-traders"},{"date":"2026-02-28","event":"Law firm Kneupper & Covey announces investigation into potential civil claims on behalf of Axiom users, noting possible suitability for class action.","source":"Kneupper & Covey PC","source_url":"https://kneuppercovey.com/axiom-lawsuit-investigation/"}]},"v":1}