A family in Chicago and their babysitter were kidnapped and forced to transfer millions in Cryptocurrency for five days in October before they were released.
Six men have been charged with the crime after they have reportedly stolen $ 15 million in cryptocurrency, including Zehuan Wei, fan Zhang, Huajing Yan, Shengnan Jiang, Shiqiang Lian, and Ye Cao, a Chicago Tribune story that recently rejected fbi -Records quotes. reported on February 12.
According to the FBI, the kidnapping took place in a mansion in Chicago when one of the suspects knocked on the door and pretended to have damaged the victim’s garage door. When the victim answered, armed men forced their way inside and shot the family and their babysitter.
The victims were taken in a van to an Airbnb in Forest Park, where they were held one night before they were moved to another house. The abductors demanded ransom payments in Bitcoin, Ether and other cryptocurrencies and threatened to kill them if they refused. The kidnappers also gained access to the crypto accounts of the victims and have done transactions themselves.
One of the victims was hit with a gun on the head, although he later believed that it might be fake. He also managed to contact his father via WeChat and warn him about the situation.
After five days in captivity, the abductors published the victims on 1. November of the stolen $ 15 million, the authorities later found that $ 9 million will not remain justified.
FBI agents have compiled evidence from surveillance images, rental vehicles and forensic analysis. Security cameras in the Forest Park Airbnb conquered the kidnappers who arrived and telephone in a white van. Researchers corresponded these images to the suspects using American customs and border security records and driving licenses issued by the State.
At least two victims were able to identify some of the suspects in a photo -line -up.
Wei was the first suspect to be arrested. American customs and border protection arrested him on January 17, while trying to enter the country again from Mexico at the border crossing of Otay Mesa in California.
The FBI later found that Jiang and Yan had gone to Beijing on 19 January on board a flight from Tijuana, Mexico, followed by Lian, followed by Lian the next day. Authorities believe that some of the remaining suspects have fled to China after the arrest.
All six men were formally accused of kidnapping on December 13.
Recent Crypto discharges
As cryptocurrencies become mainstream, they also become excellent goals for crime. Last month, David Balland, the co-founder of the manufacturer of the manufacturer of Cryptocurrency wallet, was kidnapped and held for ransom.
In November, Dean Skurka, CEO of Wonderfi, was abducted in Toronto and was released after a ransom of $ 1 million was paid. According to reports, the suspects believed that the victim had a considerable amount of Bitcoin, which was not the case.
