F-bombs were thrown. Attempts to console the victim proved insufficient.
Hochstein explained that his Galaxy laptop was inside.
Helpful partygoers searched all around the Coinage studio.
There were many dark gray and many black backpacks. Many searchers picked up black backpacks they found and said, "Is it this?"
"It was gray," Hochstein said. "I put it right here."
People continued asking him about black backpacks.
Eventually Hochstein sat down at a table, hands in head.
"I would be freaking out," one sympathetic observer told Hochstein.
"I am freaking out," Hochstein replied.
Several people consulted on the matter recalled that they had seen no one suspicious, and furthermore that they recognized or met pretty much everyone who was there. Had someone snuck in when the merriment was in full swing and absconded with Hochstein's gray backpack.
Coinage's Zack Guzman and former CoinDesk Managing Editor Bradley Keoun were seen discussing the matter near the faux-vintage popcorn machine.
"Maybe we'll find the extra backpack after everyone's gone," Guzman said.
Sure enough, there was one found – inauspicious enough. But telling.
Guzman posted a photo on the ACJR Telegram channel.
The next morning, Toby Bochan, head of Robinhood's Sherwood Media arm, fessed up: "That one is mine and I have Marc's," she wrote.
"Mystery solved," Hochstein replied.
"Viva crypto journalism," Guzman posted.
"Viva crypto journalism," Hard Fork Media's Ashley Stanhope echoed.