A horrific incident of cryptocurrency-related crime has been reported in Chicago, when a family of three and their babysitter were kidnapped at gunpoint and kept hostage for five days. The attackers demanded a whopping $15 million ransom in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital assets, threatening the victims’ lives if they refused to comply.
The ordeal started when six men knocked on the family’s door, claiming to have destroyed their garage. Once inside, they displayed firearms and forced the victims into a van. The captives were first relocated to an Airbnb home about an hour away, where they spent one night before being transferred to another place the next day.
During their imprisonment, one of the victims managed to call his father via the WeChat messaging app, informing him of the circumstances. On November 1, the victims were discharged and sought refuge at a neighboring dry cleaner before taking an Uber to a local hospital.
The FBI says 6 men kidnapped a family and their nanny from a Chicago townhouse and forced a transfer of $15 million in cryptocurrency before releasing them four days later near a dry cleaners
— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) February 12, 2025
Crazy story out of federal court: https://t.co/u3hBF0T2p6 @rebeccapaigejo reporting
The investigation included comprehensive evidence gathering, such as surveillance footage from the Airbnb accommodation, a review of cryptocurrency transactions, and searches of the vehicles used in the kidnapping. DNA samples obtained from a Chrysler Pacifica hired by Wei on October 29 bolstered the case.
Despite the kidnappers’ demands, officials have only recovered $6 million of the $15 million delivered. Law enforcement continues to track down missing funds and suspects in order to bring justice to the victims and avoid similar crimes against bitcoin holders.
