Disbanding a Criminal Group in Málaga
Authorities from the Spanish Policía Nacional have successfully disbanded a criminal group implicated in a shocking incident of kidnapping and murder that took place in Málaga earlier this year. According to reports released on Wednesday, the organization was responsible for assaulting a couple in April, during which the male victim was shot in the leg. Following this, the assailants confined both individuals in a residence where they were held captive for hours. Their apparent motive was to access the victim’s cryptocurrency accounts. Eventually, the woman managed to escape and alert the police, while her partner’s fate remained uncertain until his body was found in a forested area nearby.
Arrests and Evidence
The operation has led to the arrest of five individuals in Spain, with four additional suspects facing charges in Denmark. Notably, two of these individuals are already incarcerated due to previous similar offences. Collaboration with Danish law enforcement was crucial for this operation, which conducted thorough searches that revealed critical evidence—including two firearms, one of which was a replica, an extendable baton, a balaclava, and clothing stained with blood that matched DNA samples found at the crime scene.
Rising Trend of Wrench Attacks
This alarming case is a reflection of a rising trend of “wrench attacks,” which are violent assaults aimed at coercing victims into unlocking their cryptocurrency wallets. Such incidents have surged in prevalence this year, likely spurred on by the climb in Bitcoin’s value to historic highs. Ong Zi Jiang, an OTC sales executive at Coinut, highlighted that these attacks have become increasingly alarming since the previous year, attributing the spike to a deteriorating macroeconomic climate in a post-Covid world, which has seen a rise in burglaries and violent crimes.
Concerns from Experts
Importantly, Jiang stressed that the cryptocurrency sector should not be blamed for these heinous acts, insisting that the focus should remain on the criminals rather than the victims themselves. Security experts are also voicing concerns, noting a significant uptick in such assaults in 2025. Jameson Lopp, the CTO of Casa, reported tracking at least 66 assaults related to cryptocurrencies this year, which include various forms of violent confrontations targeting investors and industry figures.
High-Profile Cases and Global Trends
High-profile cases abound, including the alarming attempted kidnapping of a French crypto executive’s child and grandchild, an American tourist in London whose assets were stolen after being drugged by a deceptive Uber driver, and a brutal attack on Ledger’s co-founder David Balland that resulted in a severe injury. Reports of similar violence have emerged from regions across Asia, Africa, and the Americas, illustrating a troubling global trend in this emerging arena of crime.
