According to Huoxing Finance, on May 23, British police announced that five individuals have been sentenced in connection with a “wrench attack” targeting cryptocurrency holders. In July 2025, the suspects met the victim at a bar in Shoreditch, London, forcibly took him to their home, and used violent threats and facial recognition verification to compel him to access his bank and cryptocurrency accounts, stealing over £10,000 in cash, cryptocurrency, and a watch. During the investigation, the cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase reported unusual activity on the victim’s account to the police, leading to the identification and arrest of the suspects. The court sentenced four main offenders to prison terms ranging from three and a half to six and a half years, while another accomplice received community service for money laundering. Police stated that the case caused long-term psychological trauma to the victim and their family, highlighting the growing risk of offline violent crimes against cryptocurrency asset holders.
Five convicted in the UK for 'wrench attack' on crypto holder, forced to transfer assets
MarsBitShare
Summary
Five individuals in the UK have been convicted of a “wrench attack” on a crypto holder, according to MarsBit. The gang met the victim at a bar in London’s Shoreditch in July 2025, then took him home, where they used threats and facial recognition to gain access to his accounts, stealing over £10,000 in cash, cryptocurrency, and valuables. Coinbase flagged unusual activity to law enforcement. Four defendants received prison sentences of 3.5 to 6.5 years, while the fifth was sentenced to community service for money laundering. The victim and his family suffered significant psychological trauma. The case underscores the risks faced by crypto holders engaging in value investing in crypto and those relying on technical analysis for crypto decisions.
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