physical-bitcoin-attacks

# Known Physical Bitcoin Attacks
A list of known attacks against Bitcoin / crypto asset owning entities that occurred in meatspace. NOTE: this list is not comprehensive; many attacks are not publicly reported. If you are aware of an attack that is not listed, please open an issue or pull request — see [CONTRIBUTING.md](https://github.com/jlopp/physical-bitcoin-attacks/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md) for what qualifies and how to add entries.

For interactive visual dashboards of this data, check out [our map](https://jlopp.github.io/physical-bitcoin-attacks/) and the [Crypto Crime Dashboard](https://cryptocrime-dashboard.vercel.app/)
For more comprehensive statistical breakdowns of attack attributes, check out [gart.io](https://gart.io/stats)
Another comprehensive list of attacks is available at [bitcoin-wrench-attacks.zaup.org](https://bitcoin-wrench-attacks.zaup.org/index.html)

For high level analyses and best practices, readers may be interested in this 2020 presentation: ["The Hodlguard- a primer on physical security in Bitcoin"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUgPhPkS2yc) and [slides](https://prezi.com/view/P46hHguLiPvqA7aZ7gYR).
Also, Jameson's [2025 presentation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxjKAtxy6J4) with updated metrics and advice.
Finally, [this academic paper](https://github.com/jlopp/physical-bitcoin-attacks/blob/master/Wrench_Attacks_Research.pdf) analyzing physical attacks using Bitcointalk as a data source.

| Date        | Victim  | Location | Description |
| :---------: |:------: | :------: | :---------: |
| December 29 2014 | Hal Finney | Santa Barbara, California, United States | [Bitcoin developer SWATted after months of harrassment & extortion](https://archive.is/WvHB9) [(original link)](http://www.wired.com/2014/12/finney-swat/) |
| January 3 2015 | Amanda McCollum | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | [BTM thieves strike smoke shop, fire gun](https://archive.is/R98Nn) [(original link)](https://www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-atm-thieves-strike-atlanta-smoke-shop) |
| January 22 2015 | Martin Wismeijer | Amsterdam, Netherlands | [Thieves steal 2 bitcoin ATMs](https://archive.is/aP649) [(original link)](https://www.parool.nl/amsterdam/dieven-stelen-twee-amsterdamse-bitcoin-betaalautomaten~a3853460/) |
| February 2015 | Dean Katz | New York, New York, United States | [Bitcoin trader robbed of $12,000 at gunpoint](https://archive.is/QeCwu) [(original link)](http://observer.com/2015/02/bitcoin-crime-wave-breaks-out-in-nyc/) |
| May 27 2015 | Dwayne Richards | New York, New York, United States | [Firefighter kidnapped, robbed of $1,100, & stabbed by crypto thieves](https://web.archive.org/web/20170212084543/https://www.cnbc.com/2015/06/05/new-york-city-man-robbed-at-gunpoint-for-bitcoin.html) [(original link)](https://www.cnbc.com/2015/06/05/new-york-city-man-robbed-at-gunpoint-for-bitcoin.html) |
| November 16 2015 | Robert Nederhoed | Delft, Netherlands | [Thieves steal bitcoin ATM containing 2,000 EUR](https://archive.is/jjSYk) [(original link)](https://www.ad.nl/binnenland/dieven-stelen-2000-euro-uit-bitcoinautomaat-in-delft~a315113e/) |
| July 11 2016 | Tadas Kasputis | Kaunas, Lithuania | [Cryptocurrency executive kidnapped at car wash](https://archive.is/VDAjq) [(original link)](http://kauno.diena.lt/naujienos/kaunas/nusikaltimai-ir-nelaimes/ne-bernvakario-pokstas-kaune-buvo-pagrobtas-bitkoinu-prekeivis-827044) |
| July 25 2016 | Steve Manos | West Palm Beach, Florida, United States | [Bitcoin trader robbed of $28,000 at gunpoint](https://archive.is/fQdH7) [(original link)](http://touch.sun-sentinel.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-87972478/) |
| August 14 2016 | Multiple | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | [Police arrest teens in string of bitcoin-related robberies](https://archive.is/wmHQ3) [(original link)](https://www.toronto.com/news-story/6810325-toronto-police-arrest-teens-in-string-of-bitcoin-related-robberies/) |
| November 6 2016 | Tivoli Brasserie | Oudenbosch, Netherlands | [Dutch Bitcoin ATM Owner Laughs at Thieves Who Took His Machine](https://archive.is/ERN61) [(original link)](https://bitsonline.com/bitcoin-atm-stolen-netherlands/) |
| 2017 | Young merchant | Boyacá, Colombia | [The "Los Hackers" gang used a woman as bait to lure merchants who worked with cryptocurrencies, then abducted and beat a young merchant and demanded he transfer the equivalent of COP 12 million in crypto-assets to a personal wallet, also stealing phones, cash and jewelry; two men were arrested in July 2019 and all five members accepted kidnapping charges.](https://www.criptonoticias.com/sucesos/secuestradores-extorsionaban-negociantes-criptomonedas-boyaca-colombia/) [(original link)](https://www.criptofacil.com/policia-prende-quadrilha-especializada-no-sequestro-de-vendedores-de-bitcoin-na-colombia/) |
| February 16 2017 | Josoj | London, England | [Description of robbery during Localbitcoins trade](https://web.archive.org/web/20260216061121/https://localbitcoins.com/forums/) [(original link)](https://localbitcoins.com/forums/#!/general-discussion:double-spending-cash-robb) with [Bitcoin Uncensored interview](https://soundcloud.com/bitcoinuncensored/uk-based-local-bitcoin-trader-robbed-in-broad-daylight-josoj-tells-his-story) and the [robber's side of the story](https://localbitcoins.com/forums/#!/general-discussion:unfreeze-my-account). |
| February 26 2017 | Rocelo Lopes' wife | Florianopolis, Brazil | [Wife of crypto exchange owner kidnapped and ransomed](https://archive.is/3Tzc8) [(original link)](https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/cotidiano/2017/05/1880569-bandidos-pedem-dinheiro-digital-para-libertar-refem-de-sequestro.shtml) |
| March 14 2017 | 3 Indian Bitcoin traders | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | [3 Emiratis pose as cops, kidnap victims and rob them of 25 BTC](https://archive.is/P5S6u) [(original link)](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/news/crime-and-courts/3-fake-dubai-cops-kidnap-traders-/to-rob-bitcoins) |
| April 6 2017 | Rajesh Kumar Nishad | Auraiya, Uttar Pradesh, India | [A local criminal grabbed a bitcoin trader's phone during a demonstration, pointed a revolver at him and forced him to transfer all his bitcoin (~INR 25 lakh) plus his mother's holdings to a Zebpay account; he was arrested in July 2017.](https://archive.factordaily.com/news/bitcoin-robbery-auraiya-up-bunty/) [(original link)](https://openthemagazine.com/features/business/bitcoins-the-new-money-trail) |
| April 7 2017 | Hitesh Shukla | New Delhi, India | [A LocalBitcoins dealer answering an offer of 50 BTC was taken hostage in his car at the V3S Mall with INR 36 lakh in cash and driven to Ghaziabad, where the money was taken by a gang later tied to two similar robberies; six members were arrested in September 2017.](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/bitcoin-thieves-abduct-bizman-rob-him-of-rs-36l/articleshow/60896690.cms) |
| June 17 2017 | Miyuki Noda | Gifu, Japan | [Woman strangled, attacker takes 100,000 yen worth of BTC](https://archive.is/OmqRM) [(original link)](https://www.tokyoreporter.com/japan/nagoya/bitcoin-murder-nagoya-woman-likely-killed-on-evening-she-went-missing/) |
| September 4 2017 | Alexey Sherstne | Kyiv, Ukraine | [Man tortured for $50k in Bitcoins](https://archive.is/2aCmP) [(original link)](https://www.obozrevatel.com/kiyany/crime/v-kieve-iz-parnya-vyibivali-bitcoin-na-summu-pochti-50-tyis-doll.htm) |
| October 2017 | Multiple | Toulouse, France | [4 bitcoin traders robbed at gunpoint](https://archive.is/QHlfc) [(original link)](https://www.20minutes.fr/toulouse/2180483-20171203-toulouse-quatre-jeunes-sequestres-forces-transferer-bitcoins) |
| October 2017 | Multiple | Los Angeles, California, United States | ["Discount Bitcoin Bandits" committed 5 robberies at gunpoint](https://archive.is/D7MJS) [(original link)](http://da.co.la.ca.us/media/news/discount-bitcoin-bandits-plead-robbery-would-be-buyers) |
| October 16 2017 | Jameson Lopp | Durham, North Carolina, United States | [Bitcoin developer swatted & extorted](https://archive.is/p5gEf) [(original link)](https://www.cbs17.com/news/durham-man-says-enemies-called-911-to-report-false-hostage-situation/) |
| November 2017 | Trading company employee | Tokyo, Japan | [Fake bitcoin buyers lured a trading company employee to an Akasaka hotel room, where youths beat him and threatened him with a knife to make him transfer 109 BTC (~¥100 million); he escaped and five suspects plus the alleged mastermind were arrested.](https://www.tokyoreporter.com/japan-news/breaking/tokyo-man-arrested-over-attempted-robbery-of-100-million-in-bitcoin-at-akasaka-hotel/) |
| November 2017 | Bitcoin seller | Moscow, Russia | [After a seller confirmed a bitcoin transfer against RUB 15 million in cash in an office rented under a false name, eight to ten men burst in claiming to be tracking the buyer as a "fraudster", led the buyer away and took the bag of cash; no arrest was reported.](https://www.ntv.ru/novosti/1952341) [(original link)](https://bits.media/v-moskve-ukrali-15-mln-rubley-pri-popytke-obmenyat-ikh-na-bitkoina/) |
| November 4 2017 | Unidentified | New York, New York, United States | [Man robbed of $1.8M of ETH](https://archive.is/Lt2bJ) [(original link)](https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-metro-crypto-robbery-arrests-20180612-story.html) |
| November 15 2017 | Unidentified | Istanbul, Turkey | [Gang stole $2.83M in BTC from businessman](https://archive.is/spoUT) [(original link)](https://www.dailysabah.com/investigations/2017/11/15/turkish-police-detain-gang-who-stole-bitcoins-worth-283m) |
| December 2017 | Unidentified | Reykjavik, Iceland | [600 Bitcoin ASICs stolen](https://archive.is/0guO1) [(original link)](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/bitcoin-heist-600-powerful-computers-stolen-iceland-n852811) and [Follow-up Story](https://archive.is/np6rz) [(original link)](https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/11/the-big-bitcoin-heist) |
| December 26 2017 | Pavel Lerner | Kyiv, Ukraine | [Bitcoin exchange owner kidnapped & ransomed](https://archive.is/xsQAx) [(original link)](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-kidnapping/ukraine-kidnappers-free-bitcoin-analyst-after-1-mln-ransom-paid-idUSKBN1EN1QB) |
| December 2 2017 | Sandeep Kumar | Hisar, Haryana, India | [Six or seven men forced a bitcoin office employee off his motorcycle into a car, drove him to fields near Rewari, beat him, fired a shot and held a gun to his temple while demanding 52 BTC; he entered wrong credentials, was released in Rewari, and an FIR was registered on December 4.](https://hindi.oneindia.com/news/india/hisar-indian-kidnappers-demand-bitcoin-434766.html) [(original link)](https://indiankanoon.org/doc/181435005/) |
| December 8 2017 | Yaşar Dağgüvan & Asker Kazımoğlu | Antalya, Turkey | [Two cousins who came to buy bitcoins for USD 182,000 in cash were taken from the airport to a rented villa, where an Uzbek gang member threatened them with a pistol and seized the money before the group fled; one suspect surrendered, two were arrested, and the main perpetrator escaped abroad.](https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/yerel-haberler/antalya/bitcoin-almaya-gelen-2-kisinin-182-bin-dolarini-40727505) [(original link)](https://www.karar.com/bitcoin-almaya-gitti-182-bin-dolari-gasp-edildi-antalya-haberleri-685319) |
| December 20 2017 | Web designer | Borova, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine | [Two men burst into the home of a web designer paid in cryptocurrency and, holding a knife to his throat, forced him to transfer bitcoin (15 BTC demanded) before taking UAH 2,000 in cash and fleeing; a robbery investigation was opened with the perpetrators unidentified.](https://unn.ua/amp/zlovmisniki-na-kharkivschini-zmusili-veb-dizaynera-perekazati-yim-8-tis-grn-u-bitkoyinakh) [(original link)](https://korrespondent.net/city/kharkov/3928736-v-kharkovskoi-oblasty-aityshnyka-ohrabyly-na-15-bytkoynov) |
| December 23 2017 | Bitcoin buyer | Budapest, Hungary | [A man who arranged to convert his cash to bitcoin was beaten and threatened with a knife in a Budapest stairwell by a 19-year-old who grabbed the money bag and fled by car with his father; all three were arrested on December 27.](https://index.hu/belfold/2017/12/23/keses_bitcoinbunozot_keres_a_rendorseg/) [(original link)](https://nlc.hu/eletmod/20171228/bitcoin-valuta-valtas-angyalfold-rablas/) |
| December 30 2017 | Mining equipment seller | Chelyabinsk, Russia | [Fake buyers rented an apartment for the sale of two Antminer S9 units, then three masked men threatened the seller with a pistol-like object, beat and choked him and took the equipment (~RUB 680,000); the instigator was sentenced to 6.5 years in a penal colony in September 2019.](https://sudact.ru/regular/doc/wcXNrsJ8D8bP/) |
| 2018 | "T.W." | Los Angeles, California, United States | [Home invasion by FBI impersonator who demanded laptop passwords to access cryptocurrency.](https://archive.is/IX5jj) [(original link)](https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69198689/1/united-states-v-iza/) |
| January 2018 | Unidentified | Odessa, Ukraine | [Several men pose as bitcoin sellers, beat and rob buyer of 1.5 Million UAH ($57,000 USD](https://archive.is/ho58l) [(original link)](https://bizlim.com/crypto/news/odessa-robbery-for-1-5-million-uah-on-the-sale-of-crypto-currency.html) |
| January 2018 | Cryptocurrency buyer | Odesa, Ukraine | [Criminals rented an apartment on General Petrov Street and arranged a crypto sale meeting there; when the buyer arrived to negotiate they beat him and took his phone, jewelry and money (~UAH 1.5 million), and a suspect was later sent to trial for robbery.](https://web.archive.org/web/20261008182120/https://bizlim.com/crypto/news/odessa-robbery-for-1-5-million-uah-on-the-sale-of-crypto-currency.html) |
| January 3 2018 | "Dallas" | Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States | [Convicted felon accused of firing gun inside downtown Milwaukee condo during Bitcoin sale](https://archive.is/Sj4Op) [(original link)](https://fox6now.com/2018/01/11/convicted-felon-accused-of-firing-gun-inside-downtown-milwaukee-condo-during-bitcoin-argument/) |
| January 13 2018 | Mining farm guard | Usolye-Sibirskoye, Irkutsk Oblast, Russia | [Two masked men broke into a company site hosting a mining farm, beat the guard and bound him with tape, then took eight Antminer S9 machines; one of them worked at the site.](https://archive.is/jmY7z) [(original link)](https://sudact.ru/regular/doc/Oy5VGwcsAHLh/) |
| January 14 2018 | Pavel Nyashin | Leningrad Oblast, Russia | [Blogger Who Boasted About Crypto Wealth Beaten and Robbed For $425k](https://archive.is/OaOlP) [(original link)](https://cointelegraph.com/news/russia-blogger-who-boasted-about-crypto-wealth-beaten-and-robbed-for-425k) |
| January 12 2018 | Lucas Cohen | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | [Two armed men stormed a Copacabana currency exchange advertising bitcoin, tied up the manager and his brothers, held a gun to their father's head and emptied the safe (~BRL 100,000); their bitcoin demand failed because the wallet was not on the manager's phone.](https://web.archive.org/web/20180118000938/http://extra.globo.com/casos-de-policia/ladroes-assaltam-casa-de-cambio-em-copacabana-exigem-bitcoin-22297730.html) [(original link)](https://canaltech.com.br/criptomoedas/bandidos-exigem-bitcoins-em-assalto-a-casa-de-cambio-no-rio-de-janeiro-106814/) |
| January 14 2018 | Token buyer | Rotterdam, Netherlands | [A man who came to buy bitcoin-convertible tokens was taped to a chair in a basement storage unit, cut with a knife, tasered and threatened with guns until he unlocked his phone, and 1.16 BTC was transferred out of his account.](https://archive.is/e15N4) [(original link)](https://uitspraken.rechtspraak.nl/details?id=ECLI:NL:GHAMS:2023:1414) |
| January 15 2018 | Maxsim Latsoka & Anna Nikurina | Phuket, Thailand | [Russian gang steals 100,000 Euros in BTC from young Russian couple](https://archive.is/9chQq) [(original link)](https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1020825-russian-gang-steal-bitcoin-worth-millions-from-young-russian-couple-in-phuket-condo-extortion/) |
| January 18 2018 | \____ Lee | North Point, Hong Kong | [Bitcoin trader lured to bogus meeting and robbed of HK$1.4M](https://archive.is/TfDBF) [(original link)](https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2129665/hong-kong-bitcoin-trader-lured-bogus-meeting-and-robbed) |
| January 19 2018 | ETH seller | Taipei, Taiwan | [Two men buying 3 ETH face to face in a convenience store pepper-sprayed the seller to grab back their TWD 105,000 in cash once he had sent the coins.](https://archive.is/YVciA) [(original link)](https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/society/breakingnews/2322328) |
| January 23 2018 | Canadian Bitcoins | Ottawa, Canada | [Failed armed robbery attempt of Canadian bitcoin exchange](https://archive.is/Qzqb5) [(original link)](http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/robbery-ottawa-search-bitcoin-1.4501719) |
| January 27 2018 | Danny Aston & Amy Jay | Moulsford, Oxfordshire, England | [Armed home invasion of Bitcoin trading firm owner](https://archive.is/rpCUg) [(original link)](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/01/28/britains-first-bitcoin-heist-trader-forced-gunpoint-transfer/) |
| January 29 2018 | Unidentified | Cumming, Georgia, United States | [Five men arrested for planning armed home invasion of bitcoin owner](https://archive.is/hVDKF) [(original link)](https://www.11alive.com/article/news/crime/five-arrested-in-plot-to-break-into-forsyth-county-home-to-steal-bitcoin/85-551507487) |
| February 2018 | Bitcoin sellers | Kazan, Russia | [A gang posing as MVD economic-crimes officers met people selling bitcoins for cash, handcuffed one seller and drove him to a deserted spot where pistol threats and threats of imprisonment forced him to transfer his coins, paying other sellers in counterfeit banknotes; the four defendants received 6 to 7 years in April 2019.](https://forklog.com/news/v-kazani-moshenniki-pod-vidom-politsejskih-vymogali-bitkoiny-u-kriptovalyutchikov) [(original link)](https://promining.net/ru/v-kazani-osudili-bandu-chleny-kotoroy-p/) |
| February 1 2018 | Dhaval Mavani | Surat, India | [After the BitConnect collapse, men working for investor Shailesh Bhatt kidnapped a BitConnect-linked man at gunpoint and forced him to transfer 2,256 BTC plus 166 more, and INR 14.5 crore in cash was paid through couriers for his release; Bhatt was later prosecuted.](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bitcoin-extortion-case-complainant-now-becomes-an-accused/article23956811.ece) [(original link)](https://behindmlm.com/mlm/regulation/kidnapping-and-extortion-escapades-in-india-reveal-bitconnect-owner/) |
| February 9 2018 | Sailesh Bhatt | Amreli, India | [Police Officers Beat, Extorted 200 BTC from Businessman](https://archive.is/VctPq) [(original link)](https://www.indiatoday.in/crime/story/gujarat-cops-kidnap-surat-builder-extort-bitcoins-worth-rs-13-crore-1208579-2018-04-09) | 
| February 12 2018 | Jignesh Patel | Surat, India | [Four men including a suspended head constable posing as a police officer kidnapped a trader tipped off by a former business associate, drove him to a construction site and demanded his bitcoins under threat of police action; he had none left and was released, and the constable was arrested in March.](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/surat/bizman-kidnapped-to-extort-ransom-in-bitcoins/articleshow/62891735.cms) [(original link)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/surat/head-constable-arrested-in-bitcoin-extortion-case/articleshow/63260279.cms) |
| February 15 2018 | Mining equipment seller | Sint-Oedenrode, Netherlands | [Two fake Marktplaats buyers who came to inspect two Antminer S9 machines at a private seller's home held him at gunpoint, threatening his wife and child upstairs, and left with the miners, a laptop and a phone.](https://archive.is/FnAGF) [(original link)](https://uitspraken.rechtspraak.nl/details?id=ECLI:NL:GHAMS:2021:2633) |
| February 19 2018 | Unidentified | Moscow, Russia | [Crypto investor has face mutilated, robbed of $1M in BTC](https://archive.is/wUxu7) [(original link)](https://cointelegraph.com/news/moscow-man-mutilated-and-mugged-for-1-million-in-bitcoin-local-sources-report) |
| February 21 2018 | \____ Tai | Taichung, Taiwan | [Four men assault bitcoin seller & transfer 18 BTC](https://archive.is/cGzd6) [(original link)](http://www.arabnews.com/node/1251816/world) |
| February 23 2018 | Yury Mayorov | Moscow, Russia | [Crypto Developer Beaten, Robbed Of 300 BTC](https://archive.is/YDbVR) [(original link)](https://cointelegraph.com/news/russian-crypto-developer-beaten-robbed-of-300-btc-on-moscow-streets) |
| March 2018 | Undisclosed woman | Killingly, Connecticut, United States | [2 women invaded home of another woman who had opened a "Bitcoin account" in the name of one of the attackers and used it to steal her money.](https://archive.is/wcpmV) [(original link)](https://www.norwichbulletin.com/news/20181016/police-2-rhode-island-women-charged-in-killingly-home-invasion) |
| March 2018 | Unidentified Miner | Kyiv, Ukraine | [Miner kidnapped, extorted for $50,000. Kidnappers caught 8 months later.](https://archive.is/ziAAR) [(original link)](https://ain.ua/2018/11/26/zaderzhali-gryppy-kotoraja-vykrala-majnera/amp/) |
| March 2018 | Home miner | Nikolskoye, Belgorod Oblast, Russia | [Men tipped off about a home mining rig broke in at night, beat the man looking after the house and tied his hands with cable ties, then took 60 graphics cards and 10 motherboards.](https://archive.is/nbm9N) [(original link)](https://sudact.ru/regular/doc/ylU0HyKsYkQD/) |
| March 12 2018 | Crypto Technologies inc. | Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Quebec, Canada | [Five men posing as investors stormed a crypto mining warehouse, tied up the two owners and doused them with bleach, then loaded about $800,000 of graphics cards into a rented truck.](https://archive.is/m07S4) [(original link)](https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/justice-et-faits-divers/affaires-criminelles/201803/13/01-5157205-deux-mineurs-sequestres-ligotes-et-asperges-deau-de-javel.php) |
| March 22 2018 | Multiple gas stations | Irving, Texas, United States | [Robbers douse clerks with pepper spray, steal from Bitcoin ATMs in Irving and Mesquite](https://archive.is/rODUM) [(original link)](https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2018/04/20/robbers-douse-clerks-with-pepper-spray-steal-from-bitcoin-atms-in-irving-and-mesquite/) |
| March 29 2018 | 4 Chinese businessmen | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | [Chinese traders who brought AED 800,000 in cash to buy 400 bitcoins advertised on Facebook were tied up with plastic handcuffs by three men posing as CID investigators who took the money and their phones; eight men were charged and three were sentenced in March 2019.](https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/businessman-robbed-of-dh800-000-after-bitcoin-scam-court-hears-1.806335) [(original link)](https://www.gulftoday.ae/news/2019/05/04/five-cleared-in-dhs800000-bitcoin-scam) |
| April 8 2018 | Pang Joon Hau | Singapore | [Man seeking to buy BTC robbed of $365,000](https://archive.is/IQMXP) [(original link)](https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/malaysian-here-to-buy-bitcoins-ends-up-being-robbed-of-365000) |
| March 30 2018 | Italian man & Brazilian partner | Arona, Tenerife, Spain | [A man who had agreed to finish a bitcoin deal at his home in Costa del Silencio threatened his two visitors with a blank-firing pistol, tied up the woman and sent her partner out to transfer EUR 12,000 in bitcoin; no transfer was made and he was arrested the same day.](https://www.lavanguardia.com/local/canarias/20180402/442141394730/secuestra-a-punta-de-pistola-a-una-persona-en-el-sur-de-tenerife-por-unos-bitcoins.html) [(original link)](https://www.laprovincia.es/sucesos/2018/04/01/secuestro-punta-pistola-sur-tenerife-9487706.html) |
| April 11 2018 | Ryan Rice | Miami, Florida, United States | [Bitcoin buyer shoots robber in self defense](https://archive.is/wWiYd) [(original link)](https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article208997064.html) |
| April 15 2018 | Bitcoin buyer | Almere, Netherlands | [A man meeting two sellers in a McDonald's parking lot to buy 9 BTC was held at gunpoint in his car and robbed of EUR 65,000 in cash, his phone and his car key.](https://archive.is/PUU78) [(original link)](https://uitspraken.rechtspraak.nl/details?id=ECLI:NL:RBAMS:2023:7527) |
| April 25 2018 | 2 unidentified Asian brothers | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | [Gang of 10 robbed two brothers of AED 7m ($1.9m) in cash who were looking to buy Bitcoin](https://archive.is/N5O0K) [(original link)](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/news/crime/bitcoin-heist-dubai-police-arrest-10-recover-dh7-million) |
| May 11 2018 | Two mining equipment sellers | Moscow Oblast, Russia | [A fake buyer lured two men selling mining rigs to woodland near Drozhzhino, where five men blocked their vehicle and, threatening the driver with a pistol-like object, took 22 machines, 16 power supplies and RUB 385,000 in cash; six accomplices were sentenced to up to 5 years 4 months in December 2019.](https://sudact.ru/regular/doc/CV01Z4UYPOJG/) |
| June 3 2018 | Cryptocurrency miner | Saint Petersburg, Russia | [Fake special-services officers abducted and beat an acquaintance to obtain a miner's address, then threatened the miner with torture until he handed over ~99.7 BTC, 2 million DGB, ~198,700 BTS and RUB 5 million (~RUB 60 million total); the two organizers were sentenced to 9 and 7 years after appeal.](https://forklog.com/news/v-sankt-peterburge-psevdo-sotrudniki-fsb-pod-ugrozoj-pytok-pohitili-kriptovalyuty-na-55-mln-rublej) [(original link)](https://spbdnevnik.ru/news/2019-12-16/kibergrabiteley-predstavlyavshihsya-sotrudnikami-fsb-budut-sudit-v-peterburge) |
| June 6 2018 | 22 y/o man | Milan, Italy | [Robbers attempt bitcoin purchase with counterfeit money, beat victims and fire gun, take 50,000 euros](https://archive.is/ls1QA) [(original link)](https://milano.repubblica.it/cronaca/2018/06/07/news/milano_truffa_bitcoin_soldi_falsi_milano_arresti-198392710/) |
| June 13 2018 | "Synth" | China | [Home invasion of Skycoin architect resulted in theft of 18.88 BTC and 6,466 SKY](https://archive.is/fc3Mq) [(original link)](https://bitsonline.com/skycoin-community-drama-synth/) |
| June 19 2018 | Unidentified | Wels, Austria | [$250,000 in cryptocurrency taken by robbers posing as postmen](https://archive.is/kabJg) [(original link)](https://www.heute.at/oesterreich/oberoesterreich/story/Home-Invasion-Kryptowaehrung-Baby-52821906) |
| July 6 2018 | Austin Nedved | Northborough, Massachussetts, United States | [Armed home invasion of Localbitcoins trader](https://archive.is/4of2h) [(original link)](https://whdh.com/news/northborough-armed-home-invasion-suspects-nabbed-after-manhunt/), [forum post by victim](https://localbitcoins.com/forums/#!/general-discussion:armed-break-inhome-invasio) |
| September 2018 | Bitcoin seller | Mashhad, Iran | [A man who advertised bitcoins for sale was lured to a house, held at gunpoint, tied up and tortured with electricity to reveal where his money was, before he stabbed one attacker and escaped.](https://archive.is/iOInc) [(original link)](https://www.khabaronline.ir/news/804676) |
| September 7 2018 | Nicholas Truglia | New York, New York, United States | [Friends accused of torturing pal to steal his cryptocurrency](https://archive.is/PJYDN) [(original link)](https://nypost.com/2018/11/06/friends-accused-of-torturing-pal-to-steal-his-cryptocurrency/) |
| September 18 2018 | Cryptocurrency buyer | Amsterdam, Netherlands | [A buyer who flew in from Russia with EUR 127,600 in cash was picked up at Schiphol by his seller, then held at knifepoint in the car while the money was grabbed, and left behind.](https://archive.is/PUU78) [(original link)](https://uitspraken.rechtspraak.nl/details?id=ECLI:NL:RBAMS:2023:7527) |
| September 24 2018 | William Sean Creighton | Granadilla, Curridabat, Costa Rica | [Owner of 5Dimes online sportbook, which accepted bitcoin, kidnapped by cops and ransomed for $1M in BTC. Ransom was paid but he was murdered anyway and body was found a year later in an unmarked grave.](https://web.archive.org/web/20200319062442/https://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/27633251/american-bookmaker-found-dead-costa-rica) [(original link)](https://www.criptonoticias.com/sucesos/148-bitcoin-rescate-dos-condenas-costa-rica/) |
| November 2018 | Kieran Hamilton | Manchester, England | [Crypto trader stabbed, robbed by home invaders](https://archive.is/kAi7c) [(original link)](https://www.vice.com/en/article/z3exxx/instagram-influencer-robbed-cryptocurrency) |
| November 2018 | Bitcoin trader | New Delhi, India | [A man lured under the pretext of a bitcoin deal was kidnapped and released after a friend paid an INR 1.3 lakh ransom online.](https://archive.is/ea5Zl) [(original link)](https://www.theweek.in/wire-updates/national/2025/07/30/des83-dl-security-guard-arrest.html) |
| November 16 2018 | Andrew ______ | Lanseria, South Africa | [Bitcoin trader drugged, beaten, and tortured before transferring BTC to attackers](https://archive.is/ASDBT) [(original link)](https://sowetourban.co.za/55082/man-beaten-drugged-tortured-coin/) |
| February 10 2019 | Tjeerd H. | Drouwenerveen, Netherlands | [Bitcoin trader tortured with drill in front of daughter.](https://archive.is/drBqh) [(original link)](https://futurism.com/robbers-tortured-man-drill-steal-cryptocurrency) |
| March 7 2019 | Shell gas station | DeKalb County, Georgia, United States | [Three men, two of them masked, used crowbars to break into a gas station overnight and loaded its bitcoin ATM into a car with a plate covered in silver tape; two were arrested within 24 hours thanks to surveillance footage.](https://blackamericaweb.com/2019/03/14/2-arrested-accused-of-stealing-bitcoin-atm-from-gas-station) |
| March 12 2019 | Costcutters | Far Cotton, Northampton, England | [Bitcoin machine stolen during robbery](https://archive.is/0lCv5) [(original link)](https://www.northants.police.uk/news/2019-03-15/bitcoin-machine-stolen-far-cotton-robbery-–-witness-appeal) |
| March 19 2019 | Shahid Naseer | Lahore, Pakistan | [IT professor kidnapped by his student and police, his family paid 9 BTC ransom.](https://archive.is/Lxx78) [(original link)](https://www.dawn.com/news/1472132/gang-demanding-ransom-in-bitcoin-busted) |
| April 23 2019 | Octagon Shopping Centre | Burton upon Trent, England | [Three men who drove from London prized open a shopping centre bitcoin ATM with a screwdriver but ran off when a staff member shouted, leaving a cash box holding only £5; they were stopped on the M1 that evening and two were sentenced in August 2021.](https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/burton/bitcoin-machine-burton-arrest-theft-2792821) [(original link)](https://www.staffordshire-live.co.uk/news/local-news/london-crooks-swipe-cryptocurrency-burton-5825129) |
| May 14 2019 | Undisclosed | Oslo, Norway | [Bitcoin millionaire escapes armed home invader by jumping off balcony](https://archive.is/HfBWe) [(original link)](https://www.tv2.no/a/10828524/) |
| May 17 2019 | Entrepreneur | Saint Petersburg, Russia | [Men claiming to be collecting a debt took RUB 200,000 in cash from an entrepreneur, forced transfers of RUB 147,000 from his bank cards and ~0.23 BTC (~RUB 120,000) in cryptocurrency; no arrest was reported.](https://bits.media/predprinimatel-iz-sankt-peterburga-lishilsya-0-23-btc-v-rezultate-ogrableniya/) [(original link)](https://coinspot.io/russia_sng/peterburzhca-ograbili-otnyav-nalichnye-i-kripovalyutu/) |
| June 30 2019 | Luftan Shaikh, Mohammad Shazad, Malang Shah | Jaipur, Rajasthan, India | [Criminal Gang Abducts & Tortures Cryptocurrency Traders, Demands 80 BTC Ransom](https://archive.is/8PY9R) [(original link)](https://www.newsweek.com/cryptocurrency-traders-abducted-tortured-india-criminal-gang-arrested-bitcoin-ransom-1449274) |
| July 15 2019 | Bitcoin Exchange | Sparkhill, Birmingham, England | [Masked raiders hold up Bitcoin Exchange in front of dozens of witnesses](https://archive.is/fAoh0) [(original link)](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/watch-masked-raiders-hold-up-16599570) |
| July 26 2019 | Unidentified | Wels, Austria | [Man raided in office](https://archive.is/HHicH) [(en)](https://archive.is/R7UjD) [(original link)](https://ooe.orf.at/stories/3006096/) |
| August 26 2019 | Abdul Shakoor | Dehradun, India | [Kingpin of Kerala bitcoin scam murdered in Dehradun](https://archive.is/O4Wno) [(original link)](https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2019/08/31/kingpin-of-485-crore-kerala-bitcoin-scam-murdered-in-dehradun.html) |


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[Read more](https://github.com/jlopp/physical-bitcoin-attacks)