Seven members of a British gang who kidnapped, tortured, and extorted cryptocurrency from an investor have been sentenced to up to 20 years in prison. According to Warrington Guardian, the victim was repeatedly attacked over several months, ultimately transferring £100,000 in digital assets to the criminals.

The first attack took place in January 2023, when the gang broke into the investor’s home, threatening violence to force a partial payment. Weeks later, they returned for more.

In October, the victim was abducted and held in a building on the outskirts of Warrington, forced to make another transfer. Days later, the criminals kidnapped him again, this time threatening to kill him.

The final incident occurred in November when the victim was once again held captive at the same address in Cadishead. This time, suspicious neighbors alerted the police.

Officers arrived to find the victim bearing signs of torture, along with weapons, personal belongings of the kidnappers, and incriminating documents. A review of phone records confirmed the gang’s coordinated actions dating back to the first attack.

The court handed down the harshest sentences—20 years each—to ringleaders Newns and Povey. The remaining five received between 13.5 years and less than three. In total, the gang will serve 76 years behind bars.

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao commented on the case, criticizing misleading media headlines while acknowledging the severity of the crime. He urged investors to prioritize security.

Russian Gang Kidnaps Ukrainian Investor in Indonesia

Bali police are investigating the kidnapping and robbery of a Ukrainian citizen by a group of nine Russians. According to Jakarta Globe, the suspects allegedly stole $214,429 worth of cryptocurrency from his account.

On January 15, Igor Ermakov and his driver were traveling in a BMW when their car was ambushed. Four masked, armed men abducted Ermakov, taking him to a villa in Bandung. There, he was beaten and forced to transfer digital assets to two specified addresses.

In a similar case last November, Ukrainian national Vyacheslav Leibov was attacked on Phuket in Thailand. His assailants initially demanded 500,000 USDT but ultimately settled for half.