A young French couple in the Somme department endured three home invasions in under a month after their residence was mistakenly targeted by criminals seeking cryptocurrency.
Key Takeaways
Intruders targeted a couple in Somme 3 times after dark web leaks mislinked them to crypto wealth.Dark web leaks and Telegram recruitment created 3 violent physical extortion risks for crypto holders.An Amiens court handed 2 suspects prison sentences up to 18 months while victims plan to move.A French couple endured three home invasions in less than a month after criminals targeted their home, believing it belonged to cryptocurrency millionaires, an Amiens criminal court heard Aug. 11.
The dark web leak triggered a series of break-ins by three separate groups of intruders who attempted to extort digital currency from residents who did not possess it.
Following the second attack, the couple installed a security system. The alarm frightened off a third group of intruders on July 17.
The 20-year-old suspect told the court he was hired via the messaging app Telegram to break down the door for a promised payment between $17,000 and $34,600. He claimed he accepted the job to pay off $4,600 in debt accumulated by his mother, who faced eviction.
The 21-year-old suspect, a rideshare driver from the Île-de-France region, was paid $346 to drive four men to the residence. Law enforcement officers recovered a crowbar, balaclavas, and cable ties from the vehicle’s passengers.
Both defendants, who had no prior criminal record, admitted to the charges, citing financial desperation, poor judgment, and greed.
The victims were not present at the hearing. Their attorney stated the couple intends to sell the home due to ongoing safety concerns.
