UK trio sentenced for home invasion attempt to steal cryptocurrency

ChainCatcher report: On the early morning of May 15, three men in Bristol, UK, broke into a man’s residence, assaulted the victim, and demanded he hand over a large amount of cryptocurrency. The victim suffered head injuries and was hospitalized; the attackers failed to obtain any assets. Terroll Paul, Mohamed Samagassi, and Pierre Madzou all pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and were sentenced on October 15 at Bristol Crown Court. Paul received a six-year sentence, Madzou five and a half years, and Samagassi five years. The victim’s minor sister called the police, leading to the arrest of the three at the scene. Authorities did not disclose the amount of cryptocurrency demanded. This case is classified as a “wrench attack,” in which criminals use violence or threats to force cryptocurrency holders to surrender their digital assets. Data from blockchain security firm CertiK shows that such attacks globally resulted in $124 million in losses during the first half of 2026, a twelvefold increase year-over-year.