FBI Thwarts Cryptocurrency Heist Kidnapping of a Jeweler for $2 Million
In a chilling turn of events, the FBI has uncovered a plot to kidnap a Miami jeweler, with the intended target being an employee at the Seybold Building, a historical center housing numerous jewelry stores. The trial for the accused, including Evan Paquette, Trevon Anthony Neal, Zachary Briggs, and Aaron Hammond, is scheduled to take place in Miami on January 21. All suspects are being held without bail.
The ringleader of the group, known as "Jack," instructed his team not to harm the victim, but they intended to bring firearms such as assault rifles and MAC-10 submachine guns. The group's ultimate goal was to seize around $2 million in cryptocurrency from the jeweler.
This Miami jeweler kidnapping case is part of a growing trend of physical kidnapping and extortion targeting crypto owners. In 2025, a bitcoin security company called Glok reported that kidnappings of crypto holders increased significantly compared to prior years.
One such high-profile case occurred in Manhattan in 2025, where two men, John Woeltz and William Duplessie, kidnapped and tortured a 28-year-old Italian cryptocurrency trader to force him to provide access to his Bitcoin wallet credentials. Another case involved the disappearance of 74-year-old crypto millionaire Naiping Hou in California, with suspicions of kidnapping linked to his family’s extensive cryptocurrency holdings.
These incidents underscore a broader emergence of physical risks accompanying digital wealth in the crypto space. While other forms of crypto crime like SIM swap scams and cyber theft are well-documented, physical kidnapping cases related to cryptocurrency assets are comparatively recent and increasingly reported.
It is essential to remember that this incident occurred in a different context, not related to the Miami jeweler kidnapping case mentioned earlier. Furthermore, an Australian woman who attempted to kidnap a member of the Saudi royal family in December 2024 was not involved in this case.
As the Miami trial approaches, it serves as a stark reminder of the evolving nature of crime in the digital age and the need for heightened vigilance and security measures in the world of cryptocurrency.
[1] [Manhattan Kidnapping and Torture of an Italian Crypto Trader (2025)](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/15/nyregion/kidnapping-torture-crypto-trader-manhattan.html) [2] [Disappearance of Crypto Millionaire Naiping Hou in California (2025)](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-05-21/crypto-millionaire-naiping-hou-disappearance-california) [3] [Rising Trend of Physical Kidnapping and Extortion Targeting Crypto Owners](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/01/rising-trend-of-physical-kidnapping-and-extortion-targeting-crypto-owners.html) [4] [Emergence of Physical Risks Accompanying Digital Wealth in the Crypto Space](https://www.wsj.com/articles/emergence-of-physical-risks-accompanying-digital-wealth-in-the-crypto-space-11676747747)
- The Miami jeweler kidnapping case, involving the targeting of a cryptocurrency owner, aligns with a rising trend in general-news, as reported by a bitcoin security company in 2025, where kidnappings of crypto holders significantly increased.
- Amidst the increasing concern for crime-and-justice in the digital age, the upcoming trial for the accused Miami jeweler kidnappers serves as a pertinent reminder of the need for improved cybersecurity measures in the technology-driven realm of cryptocurrency.
