In this rollercoaster episode of Beyond the Code, Yitzy Hammer sits down with Samuel Cardillo to uncover the jaw-dropping journey of a self-taught prodigy who went from selling computer viruses at age 9 to co-founding RTFKT, the NFT sneaker company acquired by Nike.
What starts with microphone troubles quickly spirals into a high-speed chronicle of early cybercrime, international arrests, military service in the IDF, intelligence ventures, and creating some of the most iconic digital fashion drops in Web3 history.
Samuel pulls no punches as he walks us through:
His childhood hacking days and getting arrested at 14 after a televised DDoS stunt;
The rise and grind of RTFKT, building CloneX with Takashi Murakami, and managing NFT chaos;
What it really took to land the Nike acquisition—and the stress that came with it;His work in satellite intelligence and geospatial analytics via ShadowBreak;
The surprising backstory of being married to a UAE princess and his unlikely reserve role in the L.A. Sheriff’s Department;
Brutally honest political takes on Israel, Gaza, and Middle East diplomacy;
Why storytelling, utility, and community—not just speculation—must define the next era of NFTs.
A fast-paced, unfiltered episode packed with wild stories, ethical questions, and deep tech reflections.
🔗 Follow Samuel:
X: @samuelcardillo
IG: @ledomain