Coin World News report:
According to the “Known Physical Bitcoin Attacks” archive maintained by Casa co-founder Jameson Lopp, there have been over 100 physical attacks on Bitcoin users. This archive highlights a concerning trend in the cryptocurrency space: an increase in physical attacks on individuals who own BTC and other digital assets.
While many of these incidents have gone unnoticed, this list serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers associated with owning cryptocurrencies.
Growing Threat
This archive document records numerous violent incidents, starting with Hal Finney, a pioneer in cryptocurrency and ALS patient, who experienced a traumatic response from law enforcement at his home in December 2014. While his wife Fran was helping him shower, she received a strange call from a 911 operator warning her that a SWAT team was on its way due to false reports of murder and potential suicide.
Just a few days ago, a tragic shooting incident occurred near their home in Santa Barbara, prompting an active response from law enforcement. Due to the threats made against the Finneys as part of a year-long extortion plot, Fran was forced to leave Hal, who was unable to swallow and relied on a ventilator for breathing. This unsettling event involved a demand of 1000 BTC (worth over $400,000 at the time) and threats of violence against the family.
In August 2017, Lopp himself fell victim to a “swatting” incident, where an anonymous caller reported a false hostage situation at his home. The police received the distress call, with the caller claiming to have killed someone and taken hostages, even threatening to detonate explosives if his demand of $60,000 was not met. As armed police and emergency services surrounded the area, Lopp emerged from his home to clarify that it was a hoax. He attributed this attack to online adversaries seeking revenge.
Over the years, the severity of the attacks has escalated. Dwayne Richards was kidnapped and stabbed in New York City, and months later, a cryptocurrency executive was kidnapped in Lithuania. The pattern of violence persists, such as the 2017 robbery of a businessman in Istanbul, where a gang stole $2.83 million worth of BTC, highlighting the high risks associated with cryptocurrency ownership.
Home Invasions and Others
In the UK, three men armed with machetes invaded a house, forcing the homeowner to transfer over 1,000 ETH.
From Pavel Lerner’s kidnapping in Kiev in December 2017 to a series of home burglaries in Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Cambridge, Massachusetts, China, New York, Dubai, and Bangkok, this list reveals a range of elaborate strategies employed by criminals.
Meanwhile, two women kidnapped a toddler in a shopping mall, demanding a ransom of $660,000. Additionally, a UK cryptocurrency trader was brutally bound and assaulted by five attackers who robbed him. Recently, the parents of a thief got involved in a chilling $243 million robbery, being kidnapped and held hostage in a botched ransom scheme.
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Jameson Lopp Reveals Over 100 Chilling Attacks Targeting Bitcoin Holders
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