Fake Uber Driver in London Drugged and Abducted US Tourist, Stole $123K in Crypto

A US traveller lost more than $123,000 in cryptocurrency after falling victim to an apparent premeditated robbery in London’s West End.

Jacob Irwin-Cline of Portland, Oregon, was on a two-day layover when he left The Roxy nightclub in Soho around 1.30 am on 9 May and requested an Uber.

According to police reports, a driver who appeared to know his name intercepted him.

Surveillance footage later confirmed that Irwin-Cline entered a dark sedan instead of the Toyota Prius shown on his app.

He recalled:

“The guy seemed super chill, super nice.”

The driver offered him a cigarette, suspected to have been laced with scopolamine—a drug known to induce compliance and memory blackouts.

Irwin-Cline reportedly said:

"I said I stopped smoking, but he said, 'Oh, c'mon. I said, 'Sure, if you want to bond over a cigarette.'"

While under its influence, Irwin-Cline unknowingly gave up his phone passcode and access to his crypto accounts.

He was later abandoned in an unfamiliar part of the city.

Investigators confirmed that the attackers used forced access through his Revolut account to drain his crypto wallet.

More Victims Targeted for Their Crypto Across Europe

The incident in London is the latest in a growing number of “wrench attacks” across Europe—assaults in which victims are physically coerced into giving up access to their crypto assets.

Irwin-Cline, the victim, estimates he lost around $123,000 in total, including $72,000 in XRP, $50,000 in Bitcoin, and various smaller holdings.

He believes the attack was not premeditated, suggesting the perpetrator simply “got lucky” that he happened upon someone with significant digital assets.

While authorities continue to investigate and no arrests have been made, the case raises pointed questions about personal vigilance in the age of digital finance.

Would a simple verification of the vehicle and driver through the app have changed the outcome?

Could the danger have been avoided by declining the cigarette, which was likely laced with a sedative?

This unsettling event underscores the growing overlap between physical safety and digital security—and the importance of being cautious, even in seemingly routine situations.