Key Takeaways
- Three Florida teenagers are charged with kidnapping and stealing $4 million in crypto.
- The victim was forced into a vehicle and later walked miles to seek assistance.
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Three teenagers are accused of abducting a man at gunpoint outside his Las Vegas apartment, stealing $4 million in crypto and NFTs before abandoning him in the remote Arizona desert, according to a new report from 8 News Now.
The attack occurred on a November night last year, after the victim left a crypto event at a Downtown Las Vegas business.
Upon returning to his apartment complex and parking his car, he was ambushed at gunpoint by three teenagers — later identified as Belal Ashraf, Austin Fletcher, and a third unnamed suspect.
The assailants forced him into the back seat of their vehicle, placed a towel over his head, and warned him not to look at them. The suspects said that if he wanted to see another day, he had to cooperate. They threatened to kill the victim and his father if he didn’t comply.
Under duress, the victim was ordered to hand over passwords and grant access to his crypto accounts. Throughout the ordeal, the suspects appeared to be receiving instructions from someone on speakerphone — suggesting there was a fourth accomplice coordinating the attack remotely and directing the extortion in real time.
The trio allegedly drove the victim to White Hills, Arizona, more than 70 miles from Las Vegas.
After draining $4 million in crypto and NFTs from the man’s accounts, the suspects dumped him in the desert and fled. The victim managed to walk five miles to a gas station, where he reached out for help.
Bail set at $4 million
Investigators tracked a suspect vehicle making its way from Florida to Nevada, stopping at key locations, including the victim’s apartment complex.
In Mississippi, police recovered a firearm tied to a suspect’s family member that matched a weapon featured in one of the teenagers’ social media posts.
Ashraf and Fletcher, both 16 and from Pasco County, Florida, now face charges of robbery, kidnapping, and extortion alongside the third, unidentified teen suspect, who, according to prosecutors, has left the US.
Documents further revealed that the teens had a record of disruptive behavior at a Florida high school, including swearing in multiple languages and physically confronting school staff.
At Fletcher’s probable cause hearing, Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Daniel Westmeyer set bail at $4 million. Ashraf was granted release under electronic monitoring.
Crypto investors are being targeted for kidnapping and robbery
A growing wave of kidnappings and extortion attempts is targeting individuals linked to crypto, like investors, entrepreneurs, and public figures.
Texas-based streamer Amouranth was the victim of a home invasion in March during which armed suspects reportedly held her at gunpoint and demanded access to her crypto holdings. Four individuals were later arrested in connection with the attack.
Outside of the US, recent incidents have escalated to alarming levels of physical violence. So far this year, there have been three crypto-related kidnapping cases in France.
Victims have included Ledger co-founder David Balland and, most recently, the father of a Paris-based crypto entrepreneur who was abducted earlier this month, per Le Parisien.
Law enforcement agencies across multiple countries are sounding the alarm about this rising threat. Officials warn that organized criminal groups are increasingly targeting individuals known to hold significant digital assets and urge enhanced personal security protocols.
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