Seven members of a UK gang have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms for kidnapping, torturing, and extorting a cryptocurrency investor.
The group targeted their victim over several months, forcing him to transfer approximately £100,000 ($124,152) in crypto before law enforcement intervened.
The ordeal began in January 2023 when the victim was first confronted at his home by a man demanding cryptocurrency.
Gang Members Escalated Threats Even After Receiving Funds
Fearing for his safety, he complied and transferred funds to gang member Scott Armstrong. However, the harassment did not end there.
Later that month, gang members David Povey and another accomplice escalated their threats.
Armed with a knife, they forced the victim to hand over more funds. Despite complying, he continued to be a target.
By October 2023, the gang’s attacks intensified. One of the members, Gary Edwards, lured the victim to a flat, where he was tied up, beaten, and locked in a cupboard overnight.
When he failed to make an immediate payment, another gang member, Kane Godiff, threatened to kill him.
The victim endured hours of violence before finally being released, only after the attackers received their demanded amount.
A few days later, the victim was kidnapped once again. This time, he was taken to a house, had a bag placed over his head, and was subjected to further threats and violence.
The situation reached a breaking point on November 30, 2023, when Edwards confronted him at a friend’s house.
The victim was forced into a van, had his head covered, and was transported to yet another location.
The victim’s suffering came to an end on December 2, 2023, when police received an anonymous tip regarding his welfare.
Officers arrived at the scene and saw gang member Karl Johnson attempting to flee. Inside the house, they found the terrified victim, who immediately pleaded with them, “Can you take me with you?”
He had visible injuries, including burn marks on his hand and bruises across his body, as well as wounds from being beaten with weapons.
The authorities also discovered a disturbing cache of weapons, including a gun, ammunition, machetes, knives, a baseball bat, ropes, and cable ties used to restrain him.
Court Charges Gang Members
On January 30, 2024, Manchester Crown Court handed down significant prison sentences to the gang members involved in the brutal kidnapping and extortion case.
Jonathan Newns, 24, received a 20-year sentence for attempted robbery, kidnapping, false imprisonment, and firearm possession.
David Povey, 34, was also sentenced to 20 years for robbery, kidnapping, and false imprisonment.
Luke Johnson, 25, was given 13 years and six months for attempted robbery, false imprisonment, and kidnapping.
The case highlights the growing risks faced by cryptocurrency investors, who have increasingly become targets of violent crimes.
A recent Chainalysis report revealed that ransomware gangs extorted over $1.1 billion in crypto payments in 2023 alone.
The attack also follows a disturbing trend of kidnappings involving high-profile crypto figures.
On January 21, 2024, David Balland, co-founder of the Ledger hardware wallet company, was kidnapped from his home in France.
He was held captive until police secured his release the following day after his captors demanded a ransom in cryptocurrency.
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