Florida Teens Charged in $4 Million Cryptocurrency Theft After Desert Kidnapping
The post Florida Teens Charged in $4 Million Cryptocurrency Theft After Desert Kidnapping appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.
TLDR Three Florida teenagers kidnapped a Las Vegas crypto event host at gunpoint The teens stole $4 million in cryptocurrency and NFTs after forcing password disclosure Two suspects (Belal Ashraf and Austin Fletcher, both 16) are in custody, third suspect fled the country Victim was abandoned in Arizona desert and walked five miles to safety FBI is assisting with the investigation, preliminary hearing scheduled for June Three teenagers from Florida are facing serious charges after allegedly kidnapping a man at gunpoint in Las Vegas and stealing $4 million in cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The incident, which occurred last November, involves two 16-year-old suspects who have been certified to stand trial as adults. Belal Ashraf and Austin Fletcher, both from Pasco County, Florida, are now in custody. The third teenage suspect has fled the United States, according to statements made by prosecutors during Fletcher’s probable cause hearing on Friday. The victim was hosting a cryptocurrency-related event at a business in Downtown Las Vegas on the night of the incident. After returning to his apartment complex and parking his car, he was approached by the three suspects who forced him into the back seat of their vehicle. The teens placed a towel over the victim’s head and issued a chilling threat. According to police documents, the victim “was told if he complied, he would live to see another day, and if he did not comply, they had his dad and would kill him.” Cross-State Abduction During the ordeal, the young men demanded the victim’s passwords and threatened him to gain access to his financial accounts. Police reports indicate that another person appeared to be directing the teens through a speakerphone call that the victim could hear. Crypto theft is evolving. It’s not just social engineering or SIM swaps anymore. These Florida…
Filed under: News - @ May 12, 2025 10:21 am