Delivery Impersonator Steals $11 Million in Cryptocurrency
The San Francisco Chronicle reports a shocking theft that occurred in the Mission Dolores area of San Francisco, where a thief disguised as a delivery person managed to steal a victim’s cellphone, laptop, and a staggering $11 million worth of cryptocurrency. The incident took place around 6:45 a.m. on Saturday, as detailed in a police report. Authorities state that the impersonator brandished a firearm, subsequently restraining the victim with duct tape. The criminal then escaped with the victim’s digital assets and personal belongings. Details regarding the victim’s condition or any arrests made remain unclear. This brazen act highlights a growing trend of robberies targeting cryptocurrency investors, with thieves increasingly seeking access to valuable digital accounts.
Kidnapping Case Involves Cryptocurrency Extortion in Los Angeles
In a separate incident in Los Angeles, a former police officer and an alleged gangster have been charged with the kidnapping of a teenage boy, whom they reportedly threatened with violence to extract his cryptocurrency. Deputy District Attorney Jane Brownstone announced the charges against Gabby Ben and former LAPD officer Eric Halem on Friday. Both suspects entered not guilty pleas, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. Ben, 51, has a history of fraud convictions and has previously been deported to Israel, with claims of his connections to the Israeli mafia surfacing during the court proceedings. Halem, 38, is a former LAPD veteran, having served 13 years before leaving the department in 2022, with aspirations for a reality TV show about his experiences on the force.
The pair, along with four accomplices, allegedly targeted the teenager at a luxury apartment in Koreatown last December, attempting to force him into surrendering his cryptocurrency. Armed upon entry, they found the teen absent but returned later to confront him. Once he was home, they handcuffed him and insisted he open his crypto wallet. In a desperate attempt to deceive them, the teenager presented an empty wallet, but the kidnappers escalated their threats, asserting they would shoot him in the foot and waterboard him if he did not comply. Ultimately, the teen capitulated, granting them access to a wallet containing $350,000 in cryptocurrency, as detailed by prosecutors.
Recent Trends in Cryptocurrency-Related Crimes
The suspects in this kidnapping case have been denied bail and are currently awaiting trial. This alarming event follows the arrest of another cryptocurrency investor in Manhattan, who was accused of holding an Italian businessman captive for over two weeks in a luxury apartment. The victim reported that upon arriving in New York on May 6, he was assaulted by John Woeltz, who allegedly stole his electronic devices and passport while demanding access to the businessman’s Bitcoin password. When the businessman refused, Woeltz and an accomplice reportedly subjected him to prolonged torture, including electrocution with wires, threats with a firearm, and even suspending him from the edge of a five-story building. Woeltz faces multiple charges, including assault, kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, and criminal possession of a weapon.
