Toronto Sees High-Profile Crypto Kidnapping
CBC Toronto reported that Dean Skurka, CEO of WonderFi, a Canadian crypto company, was abducted in downtown Toronto. He was forced into a vehicle and taken to an undisclosed site, where kidnappers demanded CAD 1 million (approximately $720,000), threatening his safety.
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CBC Toronto reported that Dean Skurka, CEO of WonderFi, a Canadian crypto company, was abducted in downtown Toronto. He was forced into a vehicle and taken to an undisclosed site, where kidnappers demanded CAD 1 million (approximately $720,000), threatening his safety.
Dean Skurka. Source: official LinkedIn account
After the ransom was paid via electronic transfer, Skurka was freed. Police later found him unharmed in a local park. He is currently safe, and police have launched an investigation, though they are not commenting further at this time.
The safety and security of all of WonderFi's employees are paramount. Client funds and data remain safe, and were not impacted by this incident,
the WonderFi CEO affirmed following his release.
This case represents the 171st confirmed instance of a cryptocurrency owner being kidnapped for ransom, according to Jameson Lopp, co-founder of Casa, a security firm specializing in these crimes. Lopp's company has observed a rising trend in such incidents.
He noted that criminals are increasingly turning to these types of abductions, finding them more appealing than bank robberies. Moreover, these kidnappings often spike after substantial rises in Bitcoin's value—like the one witnessed after Donald Trump secured the U.S. presidency.
This particular incident is not something that many people have to worry about unless they're a high profile figure,
Lopp remarked.
Yet, even well-off business leaders often fail to exercise enough discretion or follow adequate security protocols. For example, Skurka’s kidnapping happened shortly after WonderFi’s robust Q3 2024 earnings were made public.
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