Florida Teens Arrested for $4M Crypto Kidnapping and Theft

Three Florida teenagers have been apprehended in connection with a violent kidnapping and theft of $4 million in cryptocurrency. The incident occurred in November 2024 after the victim attended a crypto event in Downtown Las Vegas.

According to authorities, the suspects—identified as Belal Ashraf, Austin Fletcher, and an unnamed third individual—ambushed the victim at gunpoint outside his apartment. The assailants covered his head with a towel and issued death threats against both the victim and his father unless he transferred his crypto holdings under duress.

This brazen attack underscores the physical risks associated with high-value cryptocurrency ownership. While digital assets offer financial sovereignty, this incident reveals how criminals are adapting traditional violent tactics to exploit crypto holders.