FBI Busts Chicago Crypto Kidnapping—$15M Ransom Demanded
According to the FBI, a six-person gang stormed a Chicago house, kidnapped four people, including a nanny, and demanded $15 million in crypto before making their escape.
Five days after securing the $15 million ransom, the kidnappers released their hostages and vanished. But they left a clear trail for investigators—zip ties, crypto transactions, and surveillance footage from a rented house and local restaurants. Even their abandoned getaway car contained DNA traces, medical masks, and receipts, tightening the noose around them.
Authorities soon caught Zehuan Wei, one of the suspects, at the U.S.-Mexico border, leading to his swift extradition to California. His alleged accomplices, however, managed to escape, reportedly fleeing to China within days of his arrest. Most of them, according to preliminary findings, are Chinese nationals.
The victims said the kidnappers smooth-talked their way into the house, likely armed with fake weapons. Once they had control, they drove to a secure location and forced one of the hostages to contact the family head, demanding $15 million in BTC or ETH. They got a small portion first, but soon gained full access to the crypto wallet and emptied it.
Right now, investigators have only tracked down $6 million—the rest? Gone. When police arrested Zehuan Wei, they didn’t find a fortune, just $661 in cash, a driver’s license, and a Chinese passport.
This case is yet another reminder that flexing your crypto fortune can put a target on your back. Stay discreet. Stay safe.
Read on:Crypto Heist Gone Wrong — UK Extortionists Land in Jail
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