According to the National Police’s communications department and local reports, a 29-year-old Bitcoin user was kidnapped and murdered in Kiev, Ukraine, a few hours ago. Four men, aged between 24 and 29, are currently in custody on suspicion of “carefully” planning to kidnap the victim and steal three Bitcoins worth approximately $207,000.
“Information about the kidnapping of a man was received by the capital’s police at about midnight. Residents of a house in the Solomyansk district heard screams and saw several unknown people beating the man and forcing him into a car,” the police agency said. wrote in the statement (Translated by Google) Police investigation found that the attack was planned.
Violent attacks on cryptocurrency holders are not uncommon. For example, several conference attendees were recently robbed at the ETHcc in Brussels. Many leading figures in the industry argue that physical safety should be considered part of a holder’s security setup.
“Strengthen OPSEC. I expect the attacks to be correlated to the exchange rate,” said Jameson Lopp, an OG Bitcoiner and Casa co-founder, as he tracks violent attacks on cryptocurrency holders. Written in 2020 After two people were murdered in Riga, Latvia.
Lopp wrote in his notes: “Organized Crime Guide to Bitcoin” According to an announcement earlier this month, criminals typically identify victims through social media posts, public conversations, meetings, conferences, and “sophisticated data collection from known and unknown breaches.”
“Privacy is a critical aspect of security. It’s not a perfect solution to protecting your wealth, but it’s a good strategy to have in your security toolkit,” he wrote. “The general premise is that if a criminal knows less about you, they’re less likely to target you.”
The perpetrators of the assault in Kyiv reportedly tracked the foreign victim to his address as he was returning home around midnight.
“They beat him, forced him into a car and took him to an abandoned building in the Kiwi district,” the report said.
After the victim’s drainage Bitcoin 
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The thief who stole the wallet strangled the man to death and buried his body in the woods.
Police found that the attackers had changed the vehicle’s license plate number to avoid detection. Cash and other evidence converted from the stolen bitcoins were recovered.
The alleged attackers, who are being held without the possibility of parole, are charged with crimes related to intentional murder, robbery and concealment. They face up to life in prison.
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