Skip to content
- Two Florida teens face adult charges for a $4 million crypto and NFT heist.
- The suspects allegedly kidnapped a man and forced him to transfer digital assets.
- Authorities believe a fourth person may have coordinated with the teens during the crime.
Two teenagers from Pasco County, Florida, face adult criminal charges in connection to violent robbery with cryptocurrency. Police say that 16-year-olds Belal Ashraf and Austin Fletcher are under suspicion of carrying out a multi-state kidnapping robbery.
Authorities allege that the teenagers targeted an individual in Las Vegas only moments after he had attended a cryptocurrency event in November. They confronted the victim outside his apartment and forced him into the back seat of their vehicle.
According to court records, the suspects made it clear that they would subject the victim to violence if he did not transfer his crypto coins immediately. The victim was threatened that his father would suffer unless he worked with their demands.
Law enforcement reported that in the incident, over $4 million in cryptocurrency and NFTs were stolen from their victim. Investigators are skeptical of a well-organized group of attackers assumed to have committed the crime with support from an unknown accomplice.
As the charge stated, the suspects transported the victim to the Nevada-White Hills, Arizona border and threw him in a deserted area. After covering an almost five-mile journey to a gas station, the man asked a friend for help.
Courtroom Decisions Reflect Severity of Allegations Against the Teen Suspects
Austin Fletcher’s defense team applied for house arrest in a week-long hearing to await the court proceedings. However, Lavas Vegas Justice Court Judge Daniel Westmeyer rejected the bail plea, offering a $4 million bond amount.
At a previous hearing three days ago, Judge Daniel Westmeyer placed electronic monitoring on Belal Ashraf but did not detain him before trial. The severity of the offenses charged certified both teenagers as adults under jurisdiction.
Besides, law enforcement has confirmed that another teenage suspect is no longer in the country. It is being investigated whether the group communicated with a person through the kidnapping and robbery.
Until now, authorities have not disclosed whether any seized digital assets have been redeemed. Both boys are charged with robbery, extortion, and kidnapping crimes believed to go over the state borders.
Both Ashraf and Fletcher will now face trial in adult court as investigators investigate the case further. State officials consider the situation a serious and well-conceived case of digital theft.
Also Read: Ethereum’s Pectra Upgrade Turns Wallets Into Smart Contracts With Risks
