Prosecutors allege the suspects used armed force to steal $19.5 million in Bitcoin and Ethereum from victims in multiple cities.
Three Tennessee men face federal charges for allegedly robbing cryptocurrency holders at gunpoint, stealing $19.5 million in digital assets. The suspects, Elijah Armstrong, Nino Chindavanh, and Jayden Rucker, posed as delivery workers to gain access to victims’ homes in San Francisco, San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Los Angeles.
Prosecutors said the men used firearms, duct tape, and zip ties to restrain victims, forcing them to transfer Bitcoin and Ethereum. One incident involved the theft of $6.5 million in cryptocurrency, while another saw a victim coerced into transferring $10 million in Bitcoin and $3 million in Ethereum.
The indictment follows arrests in Los Angeles, with charges including conspiracy to commit robbery and kidnapping. The case highlights rising physical risks tied to high-value crypto holdings.