A gang that kidnapped and tortured a vulnerable man to steal his cryptocurrency has been jailed for over 76 years, according to a UK news outlet.
This week, the gang of seven appeared at Manchester Crown Court to be sentenced for their roles in the kidnapping, torture, and extortion of $124,000 in cryptocurrency, reported the Warrington Guardian.
The case detailed how the victim was repeatedly targeted, assaulted, and forced to transfer £100,000 ($124,152) worth of cryptocurrency over several months.
The ordeal began in January 2023 when the victim was confronted at his home by a man demanding cryptocurrency. Fearing for his life, he transferred money to gang member Scott Armstrong.
Later that month, David Povey and another man returned, this time armed with a knife, and forced him to hand over more funds. The victim complied, hoping the harassment would stop.
In October 2023, the victim was lured to an address in Greater Manchester, where Gary Edwards dragged him inside, tied him up, and forced him to send more money. When he could not pay immediately, he was reportedly restrained overnight, subjected to violent assaults, and locked in a cupboard. Kane Godiff threatened to kill him if he failed to pay. After receiving the money, the gang released him.
Days later, they targeted him again, taking him to a different property in Manchester. There, they placed a bag over his head and demanded more money.
The final incident took place on Nov. 30, 2023, when the victim was at a friend's home. Gary Edwards approached him, threw him into a van, and covered his head.
On Dec. 2, 2023, police received an anonymous call about the victim’s welfare. When officers arrived at the scene, gang member Karl Johnson attempted to flee. Inside the house, they found the terrified victim, who reportedly pleaded, “Can you take me with you?”
The Warrington Guardian reported that the victim had burn marks on his hand, bruises across his body, and injuries from being beaten with weapons. Officers also discovered chilling evidence, including a gun, ammunition, machetes, knives, a baseball bat, ropes, and cable ties used to restrain him.
Disclaimer: The Block is an independent media outlet that delivers news, research, and data. As of November 2023, Foresight Ventures is a majority investor of The Block. Foresight Ventures invests in other companies in the crypto space. Crypto exchange Bitget is an anchor LP for Foresight Ventures. The Block continues to operate independently to deliver objective, impactful, and timely information about the crypto industry. Here are our current financial disclosures.
© 2024 The Block. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.
免责声明：本文章仅代表作者个人观点，不代表本平台的立场和观点。本文章仅供信息分享，不构成对任何人的任何投资建议。用户与作者之间的任何争议，与本平台无关。如网页中刊载的文章或图片涉及侵权，请提供相关的权利证明和身份证明发送邮件到support@aicoin.com，本平台相关工作人员将会进行核查。
