🌎 Chicago Family Held for Ransom Over $15M Crypto

Chicago Family Kidnapped and Forced to Transfer Millions in Cryptocurrency

A Chicago family and their nanny were kidnapped for five days in October and forced to transfer millions in cryptocurrency before being released. According to recently unsealed FBI records, six men have been charged in connection with the crime after allegedly stealing $15 million in cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin and Ether.

The Kidnapping and Ransom Demand

The kidnapping took place in a Chicago townhouse when one of the suspects knocked on the door, pretending to have damaged the victim’s garage door. When the victim answered, armed men forced their way inside and took the family and their nanny at gunpoint. The victims were taken in a van to an Airbnb in Forest Park, where they were held for a night before being moved to another house.

The kidnappers demanded ransom payments in cryptocurrency, threatening to kill them if they refused. The kidnappers also gained access to the victims’ crypto accounts and made transactions themselves. One of the victims was hit on the head with a gun, though he later believed it might have been fake.

The victims were able to contact their family members and alert them to the situation. After five days in captivity, the kidnappers released the victims on November 1. Of the $15 million stolen, authorities later determined that $9 million remains unaccounted for.

Investigation and Arrests

FBI agents pieced together evidence from surveillance footage, rental vehicles, and forensic analysis. Security cameras at the Forest Park Airbnb captured the kidnappers arriving in a white van and making phone calls. Investigators matched this footage to the suspects using U.S. Customs and Border Protection records and state-issued driver’s licenses.

At least two victims were able to identify some of the suspects in a photo lineup. Wei was the first suspect to be apprehended. U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested him on January 17 while he attempted to re-enter the country from Mexico at the Otay Mesa border crossing in California.

The FBI later determined that Jiang and Yan had boarded a flight from Tijuana, Mexico, to Beijing on January 19, followed by Lian the next day. Authorities believe some of the remaining suspects fled to China after Wei’s arrest. On December 13, all six men were formally charged with kidnapping.

Recent Crypto-Related Kidnappings

As cryptocurrencies become more mainstream, they are also becoming prime targets for crime. Here are some recent examples:

Last month, David Balland, the co-founder of cryptocurrency hardware wallet manufacturer Ledger, was kidnapped and held for ransom.
In November, Dean Skurka, CEO of WonderFi, was abducted in Toronto and was released after a $1 million ransom was paid.