Missouri trio charged over alleged Bitcoin kidnapping plot

Three Missouri men were charged over an alleged August 2024 plot to kidnap a Bitcoin holder and steal his holdings.

Sedric Louis, John Davis and Martel Williams were allegedly hired to kidnap and force a Bitcoin holder to transfer cryptocurrency to accounts controlled by organizers, according to a Tuesday press release by the US Attorney’s Office. They traveled from St. Louis to Connecticut, where they rented vehicles and obtained air rifles to stake out the victim.

After staking out the intended target for two days, they abandoned the plan for fear of being caught on home security cameras. Shortly afterward, another crew from Florida arrived to carry out the plan.

The three were charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery under the Hobbs Act, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. Louis and Davis have been detained since their arrest on June 25, 2026. Williams was released on bond. All three pleaded not guilty.

Home invasions were the most common type of physical attack targeting cryptocurrency investors in the first half of 2026, according to blockchain security company CertiK. Crypto home invasions rose to 20 reported incidents in H1, up from a single case a year earlier.