Three Missouri Men Charged Over Alleged Bitcoin Kidnapping and Robbery Plot
Cryptocurrency trading is speculative and your capital is at risk when you trade. We may earn affiliate commissions from some of the products on this page - at no extra cost to you.
Highlights:
- Three Missouri men pleaded not guilty in the alleged Bitcoin kidnapping plot targeting a Connecticut Bitcoin holder.
- Prosecutors say the suspects planned to force the victim to transfer cryptocurrency during a home invasion.
- Investigators say the Missouri group abandoned the alleged plot before another crew from Florida arrived.
Three Missouri men pleaded not guilty after federal prosecutors charged them with joining an alleged August 2024 plot to kidnap a Connecticut Bitcoin holder and steal cryptocurrency. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut announced the charges on Aug. 4 after a New Haven grand jury returned a second superseding indictment.
Advertisement
The $245M Bitcoin Heist That Turned Into A Kidnapping Case
Federal prosecutors have charged three men, Sedric Louis, John Davis and Martel Williams of Missouri, in a sprawling case tied to a $245 million Bitcoin $BTC theft. The three were allegedly recruited to rob the stolen… pic.twitter.com/cy0WycvobT
— BSCN (@BSCNews) August 5, 2026
Sedric Louis, 32, John Davis, 34, and Martel Williams, 27, all from St. Louis, Missouri, face one federal count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery under the Hobbs Act. Federal law allows a maximum prison sentence of 20 years after conviction.
Prosecutors allege that organizers recruited the three defendants to invade the Connecticut home of a Bitcoin holder and force the victim to transfer cryptocurrency into wallets they controlled. The Justice Department said the indictment only contains allegations.
Authorities have held Louis and Davis in federal custody since their arrests on June 25. Both men pleaded not guilty during a federal court appearance in Bridgeport on July 30. Williams also pleaded not guilty during his July 17 court appearance. The court later released him on bond.
Court documents state that the defendants traveled from St. Louis to Connecticut to prepare for the alleged kidnapping plot. Investigators say they rented vehicles, obtained air rifles and secured walkie-talkies before watching the Bitcoin holder and the victim’s parents.
Inside the Bitcoin Kidnapping Investigation
Investigators say the defendants watched the Bitcoin holder and the victim’s parents for two days before the planned home invasion. The indictment alleges that the group planned to force entry into the family’s Connecticut home. Prosecutors allege that the defendants intended to threaten the Bitcoin holder and force the victim to transfer cryptocurrency into wallets controlled by the organizers.
However, prosecutors say the defendants abandoned the plan after fearing home security cameras had captured them. Investigators also say communication problems with the organizers reduced the group’s confidence in the operation. The defendants then left Connecticut without entering the home or going forward with the crypto kidnapping plan.
Federal investigators say another group from Florida arrived in Connecticut after the Missouri defendants abandoned the alleged plan. Investigators later linked the Florida group to the wider conspiracy involving the Connecticut Bitcoin holder.
Danbury police arrested six Florida men on Aug. 25, after investigators connected them to a violent carjacking and kidnapping. Investigators say the suspects beat and kidnapped the parents of a person who participated in the theft of Bitcoin. Prosecutors did not identify the person in the Aug. 4 announcement. Prosecutors also did not disclose how much cryptocurrency the group expected to steal.
Earlier Guilty Pleas Broaden the Federal Case
The wider federal prosecution also includes several defendants who have already pleaded guilty. Adam Iza pleaded guilty on June 1 to the same Hobbs Act conspiracy charge. Prosecutors say Adam Iza communicated with participants, directed logistics, and provided funding for the alleged Bitcoin kidnapping plot. The federal court has scheduled his sentencing for Aug. 12.
Saif Faiq also pleaded guilty on June 8. Prosecutors say Saif Faiq recruited participants, traveled to Connecticut, and helped conduct surveillance before the planned home invasion. The federal court has scheduled his sentencing for Aug. 28.
Prosecutors also said all six defendants charged in the later Connecticut carjacking and kidnapping have pleaded guilty. The FBI New Haven Violent Crimes Task Force leads the investigation with assistance from FBI offices in Los Angeles, St. Louis and the Danbury Police Department.
Meanwhile, the blockchain security company CertiK reported 20 crypto-related home invasions during the first half of this year. CertiK recorded only one reported crypto-related home invasion during the same period a year earlier.
The CertiK Intel3D H1 2026 Wrench Attacks Report is here.
Crypto crime has gone physical.
Our latest research found:
• 52 verified wrench attacks (+33.3% YoY)
• $124.2M in recorded exposure
• Home invasions emerged as the dominant attack vectorRead the full report and… pic.twitter.com/KoEAfQFMRL
— CertiK (@CertiK) July 22, 2026
eToro Platform
Best Crypto Exchange
- Over 90 top cryptos to trade
- Regulated by top-tier entities
- User-friendly trading app
- 30+ million users
eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment, and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong.
Advertisement
