Two teenagers from Florida have been charged with kidnapping a man in Las Vegas and stealing $4 million in cryptocurrency, according to court documents reviewed by the television station affiliated with CBS, KLAS 8 News Now.
The incident occurred last November at a hotel in the city of gambling, where the youths forced the victim to transfer their digital assets under threat.
The accused, identified as Belal Ashraf and Austin Fletcher, both 16 years old and residents of Pasco County, Florida, were certified as adults by a juvenile judge. A third suspect, whose identity has not been revealed, is no longer in the United States, according to the prosecution.
On the night of the incident, the victim was organizing an event related to cryptocurrencies at a business in downtown Las Vegas, the police reported. After returning to his apartment and parking the car, the three young men approached him and forced him into the back seat of their vehicle.
“The victim was told that if they obeyed, they would live to see another day, and that if they did not obey, they would capture their father and kill him”, the documents state. “They put a towel over their head and the suspects told them not to look at them”.
Subsequently, according to the court documents, the teenagers headed to a desert area in White Hills, Arizona, more than 112 kilometers from the city. There, the victim was forced to give up the passwords to their cryptocurrency accounts under death threats.
The suspects used the stolen credentials to access the victim's accounts and stole millions of dollars in cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). After being abandoned, the victim walked eight kilometers through the desert to reach a gas station, where he requested help and was able to locate a friend to pick him up.
The police identified the suspects after tracking a vehicle that traveled from Florida to Nevada. Additionally, during a traffic stop in Mississippi, a weapon linked to one of the teenagers was found through social media.
During the hearings, the defense attorneys for Ashraf and Fletcher requested house arrest for their clients.
The judge of the Las Vegas Justice Court, Daniel Westmeyer, set a bail of 4 million dollars for Fletcher.
For her part, Judge Noreen Demonte granted house arrest with electronic monitoring to Ashraf.
The FBI is collaborating in the investigation, and a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for June.
The case has raised concerns among cybersecurity experts and authorities, who warn about the increasing risk of crimes related to cryptocurrencies.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cryptocurrency Hijacking and Theft in Las Vegas
How did the kidnapping and cryptocurrency theft occur in Las Vegas?
The kidnapping and cryptocurrency theft occurred in a hotel in Las Vegas, where two teenagers from Florida, along with a third suspect, kidnapped a man and forced him to transfer 4 million dollars in cryptocurrencies under the threat of death.
Who are the suspects in the kidnapping in Las Vegas?
The suspects are Belal Ashraf and Austin Fletcher, both 16 years old, residents of Pasco County, Florida. A third unidentified suspect is no longer in the United States. The teenagers were tried as adults by a juvenile judge.
What legal measures have been taken against the adolescents accused of cryptocurrency theft?
Belal Ashraf has been placed under house arrest with electronic monitoring, while Austin Fletcher has been granted bail set at 4 million dollars. The FBI is assisting in the investigation, and a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for June.
What risks does the increase in cryptocurrency-related crimes pose?
The increase in crimes related to cryptocurrencies poses a growing risk to the security of digital assets. Cybersecurity experts and authorities warn that as cryptocurrencies gain popularity, they also become a more attractive target for criminals.
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