Florida Teens Charged in $4M Crypto Heist After Abducting Victim at Las Vegas Event

Three Florida teenagers face robbery, kidnapping, and extortion charges following a violent cryptocurrency theft in Las Vegas. The suspects allegedly abducted a man at gunpoint after he hosted a crypto event in Downtown Las Vegas, forcing him to surrender account passwords before abandoning him in an Arizona desert.

The heist, which occurred last November, resulted in the theft of $4 million worth of cryptocurrencies and NFTs. Two of the accused—Belal Ashraf and Austin Fletcher, both 16-year-olds from Pasco County—have been apprehended, while a third accomplice remains at large after reportedly fleeing the country.

This incident underscores the risks associated with high-value crypto transactions and public events in the digital asset space. Law enforcement agencies are increasingly scrutinizing such crimes as crypto-related thefts grow more audacious.