Missouri trio charged over alleged Bitcoin kidnapping plot

The defendants allegedly traveled from Missouri to Connecticut to kidnap a Bitcoin holder and force him to transfer cryptocurrency before abandoning the plan.

The top 3

  1. Sanctions Evasion Drives Largest Illicit Volumes: Sanctions-related transactions accounted for 61.5% of all illicit transaction volume in 2023, totaling $14.9 billion, and were a primary driver of a 162% increase in illicit cryptocurrency received by sanctioned entities in 2025.
  2. Scams and Fraud Remain Persistent Threats: In 2025, an estimated $17 billion was stolen globally through cryptocurrency scams and fraud, with investment scams alone accounting for almost 71% of crypto-related losses in 2023.
  3. Hacks and Exploits Target DeFi Protocols: Crypto-related hacks and exploits resulted in $2.2 billion stolen in 2024, with decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols frequently targeted due to vulnerabilities in cross-chain bridges.

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