The FBI has charged six men who organized the kidnapping of three members of a Chicago family and their nanny for $15 million in crypto assets, the Chicago Tribune reports. The victims were held for five days, forced to transfer funds. They were later released near a dry cleaner, from where they made their own way to the hospital.
The kidnappers acted according to a previously developed plan. In October 2024, one of them, posing as a passerby, knocked on the door of the house. As soon as they opened it, armed men burst into the premises.
The victims were tied up and put in a white van, then taken to a rented house in Forest Park. Over the course of several days, the criminals forced them to make cryptocurrency transactions, gaining access to digital assets.
The father of one of the abductees was the first to raise the alarm, receiving a call on WeChat. During the conversation, the son said that he was being held under threat of death and demanded that he transfer funds in Bitcoin or Ethereum. As a result, the criminals took possession of $15 million in cryptocurrency, but it was later revealed that about $9 million remained unaccounted for.
The FBI was able to identify the kidnappers thanks to surveillance camera recordings, data from rented cars, and analysis of the suspects' movements. One of the group members, Zehuan Wei, was arrested on January 17, 2025, while attempting to enter the United States from Mexico. The others are believed to have flown to China after his arrest.
Investigators found evidence in the form of unused plastic ties, receipts, masks, and other items found in rental cars. CCTV footage showed the suspects' movements, including their visits to fast food restaurants and stores during the kidnapping.
On December 13, 2024, all six suspects were indicted. Despite the arrest of one of them, the investigation is ongoing, as a significant portion of the stolen funds remain at unknown addresses. In addition, most of the criminals disappeared abroad, law enforcement officials noted.