In recent weeks, several cryptocurrency heist cases have made headlines. In Canada, a father reported yesterday an attempted kidnapping, which could have turned into torture. A look back at these cases and ways to protect your cryptocurrencies.
New cryptocurrency heist in Canada
Our colleagues from La Presse report having been contacted by a member of a forum dedicated to cryptocurrencies. The man was allegedly the victim of an attempted kidnapping. Two adult suspects and two minors were reportedly arrested in the jurisdiction of Victoriaville, Quebec.
Victim claims not to be safeshe moves her family regularly:
“The police told us that they cannot ensure our safety, that we would be better off moving. Since then, we've been moving from one Airbnb to another. And the youth protection department is on our case because we were victims of a criminal act that affects the safety of children. »
💡 Don’t miss our guide – How to secure and store your cryptocurrencies?
The criminals would have thought the man had $2.5 million in cryptocurrencies. In reality, the latter claims to only have 10,000. The police have confirmed that the individuals are linked to organized crime. The victim gave an account of what could have awaited him:
“The guys had equipment to torture me. They had a 2 foot by 2 foot tarpaulin with a hole in the middle, and claws around it, to cut off a limb and stop the bleeding. It's incredibly violent.»
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Businesses that are increasing around the world
Since the new records in the price of Bitcoin (BTC), cases of this type unfortunately seem to be increasing. Kevin Mirshahi, a Quebec influencer, was allegedly kidnapped and tortured last June. Dean Skurka, the CEO of WonderFi, was also kidnapped and released on a $1 million payment.
More recently in Belgium, investor Stéphane Winkel reported the kidnapping of his wife. The criminals had planned to kidnap her to demand a ransom, but fortunately she was saved. On New Year's Eve, the father of a crypto influencer was kidnapped in Dubai.
🌐 Learn more – The father of a crypto influencer was kidnapped on New Year's Eve.
Smaller acts also seem to be increasing. During the EthCC in Brussels, several participants reported attackstriggering calls for discretion from the conference organization.
A relatively new phenomenon?
If cryptocurrencies arouse desire while Bitcoin once again exceeds $100,000, their interest for criminals remains questionable. The vast majority of cryptocurrencies remain very traceable.much more than cash or jewelry. But that doesn't stop groups from trying their luck, leading to these cases which have multiplied in recent weeks.
To protect yourself and your cryptocurrencies, it is therefore recommended to exercise discretionor even to take security measures if you are a public figure. The use of multisig, which requires multiple people to release funds, is also recommended.
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Source: La Presse
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Journalist at Cryptoast since 2017, I am passionate about the issues of decentralization, privacy and regulation. I specialize in traditional economics and finance by analyzing how news in this sector influences the cryptocurrency industry, providing a unique and informed perspective to Cryptoast readers.
Marine Debelloir
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