A Canadian crypto forum moderator and a father of four has reportedly sought refuge with his family after an alleged attempt by kidnappers to abduct him and coerce him into surrendering his bitcoin (BTC).
According to a report by the Canadian French-language outlet La Presse, the victim noted that the attempted abductors were ready to commit terrible acts of violence before he and his children successfully escaped.
“The guys had equipment to torture me. They had a 2-foot by 2-foot tarp with a hole in the middle, and claws around it, to cut off a limb and stop the bleeding. It’s incredibly violent,” the victim said.
A Conspiracy to Kidnap Case
Following the incident, the man claimed that the police informed the family that they couldn’t guarantee their safety and advised them to relocate. Ever since the man and family have been hopping from one Airbnb to the next.
After making the report, the police released orders, which resulted in charges of conspiracy to kidnap, as well as possession and use of prohibited firearms, being filed against two adult suspects at the Victoriaville courthouse last November.
He also explained that the suspects saw his Facebook page and thought that since he has been moderating for several years, he ought to have roughly 2.5 million BTC. The man further noted that he is only a regular person and could have $10,000.
A Two-Time Abduction Attempt
The man also noted that the attack was in two stages. The father of four stated that he initially reported the incident to the police on November 4 after two men wearing surgical masks suspiciously approached his home but ran off when he slammed the door in their faces. Concerned for his safety, he purchased bear spray and an air pistol from a local big-box store.
The other attempt was on November 8. As he was placing his daughter into the backseat of his car to take her to daycare, the man noticed hooded individuals in a black Kia without license plates concealed behind bushes near his house.
Additionally, the man noted that as soon as he got into the driver’s seat, the car began to move, and he followed it onto a main road. While speaking with police on the phone, the suspect vehicle changed direction.
The suspects, who have no prior criminal records, will be tried next month. They have also been placed under house arrest and banned from leaving the region except to carry out legitimate work.
