What to know:
- Missouri man pleads guilty in crypto robbery case tied to Bitcoin kidnapping plot.
- Prosecutors say victims were targeted over Bitcoin linked to a major theft case.
- The Connecticut case highlights rising wrench attacks against cryptocurrency holders.
A Missouri man pleaded guilty in a violent crypto robbery case in Connecticut. Prosecutors said two victims were kidnapped over Bitcoin allegedly tied to their family. The case followed a suspected theft involving hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency.
As per the announcement, Saif Faiq, 22, of St. Louis, admitted taking part in a conspiracy that ended with the kidnapping of two people in Danbury in August 2024.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut said the plot focused on access to Bitcoin. Prosecutors said the assets were believed to be connected to a large cryptocurrency theft.
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Crypto Robbery Plot Targeted Victims’ Family
Court documents said the victims were the parents of a person allegedly involved in stealing hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin.
Members of the group believed the family could help them reach some of those funds. Investigators said the plan included robbery, home invasion, surveillance, and kidnapping.
According to federal prosecutors, the crypto robbery crime resulted in a carjacking in which an expensive vehicle, a Lamborghini Urus, was used.
The occupants of the said vehicle were taken hostage during the attack. Following the kidnapping and carjacking in Danbury, six Florida-based men were arrested by law enforcement.
The investigation expanded beyond the state where the crime took place. According to prosecutors, the suspects recruited accomplices, visited Connecticut prior to the assault, and cooperated with other members of the gang. They further stated that he participated in carrying out the surveillance of the target.
Prosecutors claimed that another member of the organization contributed financially to the crypto robbery following his clash with the victim’s son at a Miami nightclub.
One of the brothers, Adam Iza, reportedly facilitated the process through encrypted chat services. Prosecutors added that he participated in logistics and financing.
Prosecutors Detail Guilty Pleas in Kidnapping Case
As per the federal authorities, the group threatened and forcibly took the cryptocurrencies from the individuals without hacking their accounts. This case highlights how certain gangs tend to pursue people presumed to have access to digital wallets.
Faiq was convicted of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, which means interference with commerce by robbery. This criminal charge has a penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment. He will receive his sentence on August 28 as the crypto robbery case continues.
The criminal has been in federal custody since his apprehension in November 2025. He entered a guilty plea following the one that another suspect, Adam Iza, made on June 1, 2026. The prosecution disclosed that six other suspects charged with kidnapping and carjacking also confessed to their crimes.
The Connecticut crypto robbery case shows the broader issue of security for cryptocurrency owners. It has been advised by law enforcement agencies to protect themselves from the risk of wrench attacks, which means violence used to gain access to the wallet.
In other countries, too, similar cases have been reported. French investigators started an inquiry into a case involving five victims who had reportedly been kidnapped by the assailants who were seeking access to the crypto wallet.
Also Read: Telegram Founder Flags Tax Data Leaks Behind Crypto Kidnappings in France
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