Crypto Mogul Tim Heath Fights Off Kidnappers—With His Teeth (Bites Off Attacker’s Finger)
Crypto’s wild west just got wilder. Tim Heath—blockchain entrepreneur and digital asset heavyweight—turned into a human pitbull when kidnappers tried to snatch him in broad daylight. His defense strategy? Brutally efficient.
Finger food: Heath sank his teeth into an assailant’s digit, severing it completely during the struggle. No luxury security detail needed—just primal instinct and a refusal to become a ransom headline.
Market reaction: Ironically, Heath’s token portfolio dipped 2% post-incident—because nothing spooks traders like a founder who fights back. (Meanwhile, Wall Street CEOs hire ex-Navy SEALs to open their kombucha.)
Lesson learned? In crypto, your teeth are your last line of defense when Lambo dreams meet real-world chaos.
Ex-Boxer Tries to Muzzle Crypto Tycoon in Failed Kidnapping
According to testimony cited by Estonian outlet Eesti Ekspress and the Sydney Morning Herald, one of the attackers, Azerbaijani national Allahverdi Allahverdiyev, a former boxer and wrestler, tried to silence Heath by covering his mouth.
In a desperate act of self-defense, Heath bit through Allahverdiyev’s index finger, managing to break free and retreat into his apartment.
The struggle, which lasted about 30 seconds, cost Heath a tooth but forced the kidnappers to flee.
The attackers abandoned a rented van nearby, and police later discovered part of Allahverdiyev’s severed finger about 100 meters from the scene.
Court documents revealed the attackers had been stalking Heath in the weeks before the assault, both physically and with a GPS tracker placed on his vehicle.
The group allegedly planned to force Heath into the van, transport him to a rented sauna house, and coerce him into transferring his crypto holdings.
This is David Balland.
He co-founded Ledger, one of the biggest companies in crypto
This week, he was kidnapped and tortured
Here’s the full story of what happened: (and why it’s a wake-up call for everyone in crypto) pic.twitter.com/0NpLlN8aZm
Prosecutors say a hacker was also involved to expedite the digital theft.
The group of seven suspects reportedly entered Estonia using fake Georgian passports.
In the days before the attack, they bought painters’ uniforms and equipment to pose as workmen.
Two men have been arrested so far: Allahverdiyev and Georgian citizen Ilgar Mamedov, who prosecutors claim was the getaway driver.
Mamedov has denied involvement, insisting he ended up in Estonia by accident. Three other suspects remain unidentified, and two, including the alleged ringleader Najaf Najafli, are wanted by authorities.
Kidnappers Demanded 30 Bitcoin After Failed Abduction
After the failed abduction, Heath allegedly received a Telegram message containing photos of his apartment along with a demand for 30 Bitcoin, worth about $3.3 million at the time.
When Heath didn’t respond, there were no further attempts to contact him, but prosecutors argue the threat could still be active.
Heath has since spent over $3.1 million on private security and relocated to a new home.
His legal team is pursuing reimbursement of these costs from the accused kidnappers as the court case continues in Estonia.
The recent attack follows a more brutal incident on May 1, when four masked men abducted the father of a crypto entrepreneur in Paris, cutting off one of his fingers before police intervened.
In another incident, the father of a crypto millionaire was brutally attacked. And in New York, a tourist was tortured for over two weeks as kidnappers tried to extract his Bitcoin credentials.
