The FBI has uncovered a case of a family and their nanny being kidnapped for five days and forced to transfer $15 million in cryptocurrency. The incident took place in October 2023 in Chicago, and details became known after court materials were released.
According to investigators, one of the suspects knocked on the door under the pretext of damaged garage gates. When the homeowner opened the door, armed criminals barged in and took the entire family and the nanny hostage. The victims were transported to a rented house in the suburbs of Chicago, then to another house, where they were threatened with death unless they transferred cryptocurrency.
The criminals forced the hostages to transfer Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other assets and gained access to their cryptocurrency wallets, making transactions themselves. One of the victims managed to send a message to his father through WeChat, which helped investigators uncover the details of the kidnapping.
Arrests and Fugitive Suspects
After five days in captivity, the criminals released the victims on November 1. Later, investigators discovered that $9 million of the stolen amount had not been found.
The FBI managed to identify six suspects: Zehuan Wei, Fan Zhang, Huajing Yan, Shengnan Jiang, Shiqiang Lian, and Ye Cao. The first arrested was Wei, who attempted to cross the US-Mexico border but was apprehended on January 17, 2024.
Other participants in the kidnapping fled to China. According to US authorities, Jiang and Yan left the country on January 19, flying from Tijuana to Beijing. Lian flew to China the next day. On December 13, all six suspects were officially charged with kidnapping.
Increase in Crimes Against Cryptocurrency Owners
This case is far from the first incident involving kidnappings for ransom in digital assets. As the popularity of cryptocurrency has grown, criminals have increasingly chosen this method of extorting money.
- France: In January, Ledger co-founder David Balland was kidnapped from his home for a cryptocurrency ransom. The French police carried out a special operation for his release.
- Canada: In November 2024, Dean Skurka, the head of WonderFi Technologies, was kidnapped in Toronto, with the criminals demanding $1 million. After the amount was transferred, he was released.
- Thailand: In February 2024, Phuket police arrested five Russians who had kidnapped a couple from Belarus for $900,000 in crypto assets.
- Brazil: In 2017, criminals kidnapped the wife of a cryptocurrency exchange owner, demanding $40 million in Bitcoin.
- United Kingdom: In October 2024, a British businessman was kidnapped from a golf course, with criminals extorting $15 million.
- Malaysia: In August 2024, a group of criminals seized a Chinese citizen, demanding $1 million in Tether.
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