Three Florida teenagers are facing a combined 22 felony charges after allegedly kidnapping a man at gunpoint in Las Vegas, transporting him across state lines, and extorting $4 million worth of cryptocurrency and NFTs.
A Crypto Investor Targeted After an Industry Event
According to reports, the victim had just finished hosting a crypto-focused event in downtown Las Vegas when he was ambushed by the teens while heading home.
Forced at gunpoint into a vehicle, a towel was placed over his head. The attackers threatened to kill both him and his father if he didn’t comply.
He was then driven to a remote desert area, where he was forced to hand over account credentials and surrender full access to his crypto holdings.
Throughout the ordeal, the teens appeared to be receiving real-time instructions via speakerphone—suggesting a third accomplice was remotely directing the crime and coordinating the extortion as it unfolded.
After successfully draining the victim’s accounts of an estimated $4 million in cryptocurrency and NFTs, the suspects abandoned him in the desert.
He was forced to walk five miles through the harsh terrain before reaching a gas station, where he contacted a friend for help.
Legal Action and International Complications
Two of the teenagers are now facing charges including robbery, kidnapping, and extortion.
Prosecutors revealed that a third suspect has fled the country and may be involved as a co-conspirator.
One of the accused has retained prominent defense attorney Ross C. Goodman, while the other is being represented by a public defender. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for June.
A Rising Pattern of Crypto-Related Violence
This incident adds to a growing list of violent crimes targeting individuals known to possess significant digital assets.
In January, criminals kidnapped the co-founder of Ledger from his home in France and mutilated his hand in an attempt to extort cryptocurrency.
Just last weekend, also in France, kidnappers demanded €5 million for the release of a crypto millionaire’s father before police intervened and made arrests.
Legal and cybersecurity experts are warning that these physical attacks are part of a dangerous evolution in crypto theft.
“Crypto theft is evolving. It’s not just social engineering or SIM swaps anymore."
As the crypto economy continues to grow, protecting digital assets will increasingly require protection in the physical world as well.
Miyuki
