Forced to go into hiding with his family after threats of torture to extort Bitcoin. The kidnappers believed he owned billions of dollars.
A Canadian moderator of a crypto forum, along with his family, was forced to move continuously from one Airbnb to another to escape criminals attempting to kidnap him and seize his alleged Bitcoin holdings.
According to the newspaper La Presse, the criminals had planned brutal torture, even preparing specific equipment, including “a 2-foot by 2-foot tarpaulin with a hole in the middle and [green hoses] around it to cut a limb and stop the bleeding”, as stated by the victim himself.
The motive for the attempted kidnapping was tied to the moderator’s online activity: the criminals, after seeing his posts in a Facebook group dedicated to cryptocurrencies, believed he owned 2.5 million bitcoins. However, the victim clarified:
“That is far from being the case. I’m a very ordinary guy. I may have 10,000 dollars.”
The ordeal began on November 4, when two masked men threatened the victim outside his home. Then, on November 8, while he was driving with his daughter, he was followed by an unlicensed vehicle and threatened with a firearm.
Four individuals have been arrested, two of whom are charged with conspiracy to kidnap and illegal possession of firearms. The suspects have been released on bail under house arrest, awaiting trial in March.
This case adds to a long list of threats to the safety of cryptocurrency holders. According to monitoring by developer Jameson Lopp, at least 181 incidents of robberies, kidnappings, and murders linked to the crypto world have been recorded since 2014, with several cases occurring during the recent holiday season. Lopp advises greater discretion on social media regarding cryptocurrency holdings and avoiding peer-to-peer transactions with strangers to reduce the risk of becoming a potential target.
