Prosecutors in Russia’s Ivanovo region have indicted five men on charges of kidnapping and robbery after they allegedly abducted a programmer and forced him to transfer 10.4 BTC, worth approximately $800,000, from his crypto wallet. The suspects, all with prior convictions, face up to 15 years in prison under Russian law.
Surveillance and abduction
Authorities identified the accused as Antonov, Bronnikov, Chervyakov, Kozlov, and Zaynutdinov, aged between 28 and 52. Investigators stated that the men became interested in the victim after seeing photos of luxury cars such as a Ferrari, BMW, and Mercedes on his social media accounts, along with his frequent travel abroad. The programmer reportedly earned his income as a supplier to major companies, not as a crypto influencer.
The group monitored the victim’s movements, tracking his routine before carrying out their plan. On September 6, the suspects approached him outside a local shop, restrained him, and drove him to a garage complex known as Energetik using a Peugeot vehicle purchased from car thieves.
Once inside the garage, the masked assailants, armed with a pistol, beat the victim over the course of five hours and threatened him with severe violence, including the possibility of burns and even mutilation. The attackers also took 1 million rubles in cash, an iPhone, a MacBook, and managed to seize access to his online accounts.
Investigators detailed that the group transferred 10.4 BTC, approximately $800,000, from the victim’s wallet to an unidentified address. The programmer was later abandoned, still handcuffed, in a remote forest area. The total losses from the incident exceeded 84 million rubles, according to estimates from Russian authorities.
How investigators tracked the suspects
The investigation moved forward after a disruption in internet service caused by a Ukrainian drone strike in the region. This technical issue forced the suspects to switch from encrypted messaging apps to ordinary telephone calls. Police managed to intercept the phone conversations and successfully traced the suspects’ locations.
Law enforcement detained all five men in several cities across Russia, including Yaroslavl, Yekaterinburg, St. Petersburg, and Tver. Authorities reported that part of the stolen money had already been spent on apartments and vehicles.
Police revealed that all five suspects had previously served imprisonment for serious crimes and met while incarcerated. A court has ordered that three of the men remain in custody until late December 2026, with charges filed for kidnapping and aggravated robbery.
‘Wrench attacks’ on the rise
This case aligns with a growing trend known as “wrench attacks,” in which criminals use violence or the threat of violence to force cryptocurrency holders to hand over their private keys. Analytics firm Chainalysis identified 46 such cases worldwide during the first half of 2026, resulting in over $30 million stolen and payment secured in 12 incidents. Blockchain security provider CertiK recorded 52 such attacks during the same period, with an estimated exposure of $124.1 million. Notably, 39 incidents occurred in Europe, including 33 in France.
Incidents of physical crypto theft have spread to the UK, with documented rewards offered for information in violent robberies targeting cryptocurrency holders.
As highly publicized crypto-related attacks increase, monitoring on-chain movements and related news has become critical for those holding significant digital assets. CryptoAppsy allows users to track wallet activity and set price alerts for specific cryptocurrencies, which can help users spot suspicious movements or sudden changes in holdings, particularly after high-profile thefts like this bitcoin robbery in Russia.
