Russian man beaten and robbed in Thailand over crypto dispute

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Law enforcement officials in Thailand are actively searching for two individuals of Russian origin, who stand accused of escalating a disagreement over cryptocurrency into a brutal armed robbery in the region of Phuket.

As reported by the local newspaper Khaosod, a 31-year-old Russian individual suffered an assault and lost $20,000 in a hotel located in Karon, Phuket. Two individuals, who had previously been acquainted with the victim, are suspected of being involved in this incident. They reportedly approached him due to an unpaid cryptocurrency debt that originated from past business transactions in Russia.

The report made against the police suggests that the main suspect, named Andrei, is accused of requesting a debt repayment of $120,000 from an individual and attempting to coerce the person into opening their cryptocurrency wallet, all while threatening to harm or kill them if they didn’t comply.

As a crypto investor, when I refused to provide the password for my digital wallet, I was brutally attacked. Repeated blows rained down upon me, each one harder than the last. Eventually, the pain became unbearable and I blacked out, struck from behind. The assailants then made off with my cash and left me bound in the bathroom, escaping the scene without a second glance.

In Thailand, one individual, Andrei, is still being held, while the other, Dmitri, quickly left for Dubai following the event. Warrants for their arrest have been released, and Thai officials are persistently pursuing them, with support from immigration and local law enforcement teams.

In recent times, the worth of cryptocurrencies has soared to unprecedented levels, unfortunately leading to an alarming rise in their association with criminal activities. The year 2024 saw a surge in such offenses, ranging from high-risk abductions to brutal extortion cases, all driven by the digital gold rush.

In July, four individuals were apprehended for kidnapping and killing a 29-year-old traveler in Kyiv. The police indicated that this crime was premeditated, as it stemmed from a plot to steal approximately 3 Bitcoin from the victim. Upon learning that the tourist owned Bitcoins, the suspects trailed and attacked him, intending to coerce a Bitcoin transfer. However, the situation escalated fatally.

Approximately a month had passed when another incident similar to the previous one surfaced at Santa Teresa de Cóbano beach, Puntarenas, Costa Rica. In this instance, eleven Israeli tourists fell victim to robbers who were disguised as policemen and appeared to have some form of police training. These criminals successfully stole a significant amount of Bitcoin from their victims under the threat of firearms.

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2025-01-07 11:10