crime

Two teenagers from California are facing adult felony charges after authorities say they carried out a violent home invasion in Scottsdale, Arizona, targeting a family they believed controlled tens of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency.

Key Takeaways
Two teenagers allegedly targeted a Scottsdale home in a failed attempt to steal $66 million in cryptocurrency.The suspects posed as delivery drivers, assaulted residents, and fled before being arrested after a brief police chase.Investigators say the attack may be part of a growing trend of violent “wrench attacks” linked to crypto theft.
According to investigators, the incident unfolded on January 31, 2026, when 17-year-old Jackson Sullivan and 16-year-old Skylar LaPaille allegedly drove more than 600 miles from San Luis Obispo County to the Sweetwater Ranch neighborhood in Scottsdale. Prosecutors say the pair were attempting to steal roughly $66 million in digital assets, but the plan collapsed after police arrived during the attack.
Delivery disguise used to gain entry
Police say the suspects posed as delivery workers, wearing FedEx- or UPS-style uniforms and carrying a moving dolly. When a resident opened the door, the teens allegedly forced their way inside. A male victim was thrown to the ground, while two adults were restrained with duct tape.
During the assault, the suspects reportedly demanded access to the family’s cryptocurrency holdings. When one victim denied having control over any digital assets, investigators say the attackers escalated the violence, forcing his head into the ground.
A third victim, the adult son of the household, was elsewhere in the home at the time. Authorities say he managed to hide and call emergency services while the assault was still in progress.
Arrest after brief chase
Scottsdale police arrived quickly, triggering a chaotic escape attempt. The suspects fled in a blue Subaru fitted with stolen license plates, leading officers on a short pursuit that included driving into oncoming traffic. The chase ended at a dead end, where police boxed in the vehicle and arrested both teenagers without further injuries.
During the arrest, officers recovered a 3D-printed firearm from the suspects. The weapon contained no ammunition, and investigators have not confirmed whether it was functional.
Alleged recruitment via encrypted messaging
Investigators believe the teens did not act alone. According to police filings, Sullivan and LaPaille claimed they were contacted through the encrypted messaging app Signal by individuals known only as “Red” and “8.”
These alleged organizers are believed to have supplied the Scottsdale address and sent $1,000 to cover expenses. Authorities say the money was used to purchase disguises, duct tape, and other supplies at Target and Home Depot. Detectives are still working to identify and locate the alleged coordinators.
Facing adult charges
Both suspects are charged with eight felony counts, including kidnapping, aggravated assault, second-degree burglary, aggravated robbery, possession of burglary tools, and fraudulent schemes and artifices. Sullivan also faces an additional charge for unlawful flight from law enforcement.
Although initially held in juvenile detention, both teens were later released on $50,000 bonds and are now under electronic monitoring while awaiting trial as adults.
Part of a growing crypto crime trend
Security analysts have classified the Scottsdale case as a “wrench attack,” a term used to describe physical assaults aimed at forcing victims to hand over digital assets. The attack is believed to be the first such case recorded in the U.S. in 2026, following a sharp increase from 41 reported incidents in 2024 to around 70 in 2025.
The home invasion occurred on the same day Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Savannah Guthrie, was reported missing in Tucson. While a separate cryptocurrency ransom demand linked to that case led to the arrest of a California man, authorities have stated there is no direct evidence connecting the Scottsdale teenagers to the Guthrie investigation.
Law enforcement officials say the case highlights the growing risks faced by individuals perceived to hold large amounts of cryptocurrency, particularly as organized groups increasingly turn to real-world violence when digital theft proves difficult.
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French police have arrested six suspects, including one minor, following the violent kidnapping of a magistrate and her mother in a case tied to cryptocurrency extortion, authorities confirmed this week.

Key Takeaways
Magistrate and mother kidnapped near Grenoble in a crypto-linked ransom plot€1.6M cryptocurrency demand made, but no ransom was paidVictims escaped after 30 hours; six suspects arrestedCase adds to rise in violent “wrench attacks” in France
The abduction occurred during the night of February 4–5, 2026, in Saint-Martin-le-Vinoux, near Grenoble. According to investigators, masked attackers broke into the home of a 35-year-old magistrate at around 3:00 a.m. The woman and her 67-year-old mother were overpowered, forced into the trunk of a car, and driven approximately 100 kilometers to Bourg-lès-Valence.
The victims were held for nearly 30 hours inside a garage, restrained and under constant threat, before managing to escape.
Crypto-Linked Ransom Demand
Authorities believe the motive was financial and directly linked to cryptocurrency. The magistrate was targeted because her partner holds a senior position at a cryptocurrency startup. Shortly after the kidnapping, the partner received a photograph of the two women along with a ransom demand of €1.6 million, payable in cryptocurrency.
The message reportedly included threats of severe physical harm if the transfer was not made quickly. No ransom was ultimately paid.
Escape and Medical Treatment
On February 6, the two women managed to free themselves from their restraints and began banging on the garage door and screaming for help. A nearby resident heard the commotion and alerted emergency services.
Both victims were hospitalized suffering from injuries and shock. Prosecutors said the magistrate sustained head injuries during the abduction.
Arrests and Suspects in Custody
Lyon prosecutor Thierry Dran confirmed that six suspects are currently being held in custody. Most of those arrested are between 18 and 20 years old. One of the suspects is a minor.
Two individuals were arrested while attempting to flee France by bus toward Spain. A woman taken into custody is believed to be the partner of one of the four male suspects. Investigators continue to examine the group’s roles and any wider criminal connections.
Rising Concern Over “Wrench Attacks”
The case adds to a growing list of so-called “wrench attacks” in France, where criminals resort to physical violence and kidnapping to extort cryptocurrency rather than relying on digital hacks.
In January 2026, a retired couple in Haute-Savoie was abducted after attackers discovered their son worked in the crypto sector, with a ransom demand of €8 million. A year earlier, in January 2025, a co-founder of hardware wallet firm Ledger was kidnapped, during which attackers severed one of his fingers before he was rescued.
French authorities have warned that individuals linked to the cryptocurrency industry are increasingly being targeted offline, underscoring the escalating security risks tied to digital wealth.
#crypto #crime

A federal police officer from Australia denies allegations of unauthorized confiscation of bitcoins from a hardware wallet at the scene of intervention and their transfer to the Binance cryptocurrency exchange.
The Australian anti-corruption agency (NACC) accused this federal police officer of emptying the Trezor hardware wallet, containing 81.62 bitcoins, at the scene of the incident. To support their claim that the bitcoins were transferred to his ownership, authorities relied on cryptocurrency tracking programs.
Raid Reveals an Empty Wallet
According to recent information, the police discovered the wallet during a drug raid at the accused's house, but waited approximately three weeks for a court order to open it. When it was finally opened, there were no bitcoins inside the wallet, as Federal Detective William Wheatley likely transferred them shortly after the raid.
At the time of the raid in 2019, the wallet was valued at $309,000, but its value now stands at approximately $4.2 million.
Tracking and Disclosure: Significance of Cryptocurrency Software
Detective Sergeant Deon Achtypis from the cybercrime unit stated that authorities initially suspected someone from a criminal syndicate might be responsible for the bitcoin theft.
Suspicion fell on Wheatley after the discovery of the wallet's recovery phrase device, a series of 12 to 24 random words used to regain access in case of wallet loss or theft.
Extensive investigation of IP addresses used to access the stolen bitcoins through cryptocurrency tracking software eventually led Achtypis to Wheatley.
Disclosure and Legal Ramifications
"I judge that a member of the police force may have been involved in cryptocurrency manipulation."
Globally, law enforcement agencies are adopting cryptocurrency tracking software to uncover illegal activities associated with digital currencies.
In August 2023, Canadian law enforcement agencies announced the initiation of using Chainalysis Reactor software to track illegal crypto transactions.
Furthermore, the development of encryption detective software leads to higher success in recovering stolen cryptocurrencies. On January 29, over $674 million was retrospectively recovered from over 600 major cryptocurrency hacks.

Defense of the Accused
Meanwhile, Wheatley maintains his innocence in the accusations of abuse of public office for personal gain, theft, and involvement in criminal activity.
He is determined to face charges related to the stolen bitcoins from the Trezor wallet, which occurred at a time when Trezor reported a security flaw affecting nearly 66,000 users.
On January 1, it was announced that Trezor detected unauthorized access to a third-party support portal on January 17, warning of potential user data compromise for those who communicated with the Trezor support team since December 2021.
 $BTC
#Bitcoin #crime #Australia #BTC
 
 
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