Four individuals were convicted in a London court after an attempted kidnapping of a Belgian barber who was mistakenly believed to be a Bitcoin billionaire went awry.Â
The intended victim, Quentin Cepeljac, had been invited to the U.K. in May 2023 by an attacker, Davina Raaymakers, who knew him from the internet some weeks beforehand.
Following his boasts on social media of his cryptocurrency trading fortune, Raaymakers invited him to London with promises of luxury accommodation and company.
That invitation turned into a nightmare as he was led to a dilapidated flat in Shepherd’s Bush where three men, one of whom was her boyfriend, awaited him with violent intentions.
Ambushed and Held Hostage Over Phantom Crypto Wealth
As soon as Cepeljac entered the flat, he was brutally attacked and held hostage overnight.
The kidnappers held a knife to his thigh and a machete to the back of his neck and demanded access to his crypto wallet since they believed he had millions worth of Bitcoin.
However, the kidnappers were shocked when Cepeljac demonstrated that he had only $9 (£6.71) in his crypto account.
Confused and annoyed, the kidnappers dropped their price to $67,000 (£50,000), but settled for only $2,700 (£2,000) withdrawn from his account.
After finding out they had gotten the wrong man, the gang let Cepeljac go the following day, traumatized but not injured.
Police Use Internet Tips to Track and Arrest Perpetrators
Following the release of the victim, police interviewed Cepeljac at St. Pancras Station and promptly opened an investigation.
Tracing the perpetrators through mobile phone and Airbnb information, officials arrested them. All four attackers then pleaded guilty to blackmail and related charges at Isleworth Crown Court.
Although court records remain under seal, the joint operation of police intelligence and computer forensics proved successful in obtaining convictions.
Also, bringing closure to what could have otherwise been a far more sinister outcome.
Crypto-Related Abductions on the Rise Globally
The abortive London abduction is one of a growing number of violent assaults on individuals with cryptocurrency connections.
In Estonia, Australian cryptocurrency tycoon Tim Heath was merely narrowly kidnapped after being assaulted in the lobby of his apartment by men who claimed to be painters.Â
In his desperate attempt to defend himself, Heath bit off a portion of one of the attackers’ fingers.
Elsewhere, in France, a crypto-related kidnapping epidemic is sweeping the country, with at least ten cases reported in the past few months.Â
Victims have been intimidated into handing over both money and cold wallets, typically under coercion.
Investors and influencers should be reminded by authorities and crypto security experts to be cautious when sharing financial success on social media.
Showing crypto wealth publicly can render people prime targets for violent extortion assaults.
Also Read: French Crypto TikToker Kidnapped, Released After Failing To Pay €50K Ransom