The dark side of the code is occasionally in the form of two intrusive temptation schemes on opposite sides of the Atlantic.
In South Florida, the man is said to have plotted the abduction and cutting of the entire family beyond $3 million in debt. Meanwhile, in London, Belgian barbers were held hostage by gangs who mistakenly believed they were crypto billionaires.
Crypto Launderer planned an addict and a cut
The FBI alleges that 30-year-old Shlomo Akuka of Hallandale Beach, Florida, tried to enforce a $3 million cryptocurrency debt by hiring a hitman. The criminals lure the Brazilian, his fiancé, his daughters and hurt them until the money is paid back.
Against this backdrop, Autumn Ka has become the focus of FBI stab wounds targeting Florida’s money laundering network. He allegedly laundered nearly $200,000, what he believed was drug revenue through a series of crypto transactions using Tether (USDT) Stablecoin.
In multiple meetings with secret informants pretending to be cocaine traffickers, Akka reportedly made a 5% cut to convert cash into USDT. He also offered advice on laundry strategies and asked if he used slang on cocaine to “have more clients needed to sell flour.”
However, at the July 17th meeting, things got a much darker turn. Akka is said to have detailed plans to lure the debtor and his family. Based on the report, he had already placed a GPS tracker in his fiancé’s car.
According to the FBI, he said his daughter’s hands should be “cut off” until $3 million is paid.
At a subsequent meeting on July 23rd, Akika reiterated the plan to the two undercover agents. He reportedly offered them a $10,000 advance to perform the fingering and finger amputation.
That meeting will be his last. He was arrested the next day and remained in custody before appearing in court in Fort Lauderdale. If convicted, he has faced decades in federal prison.
London Gang Miss Barber for a Bitcoin Mission
A few days before Akika’s arrest, another crypto fuel crime made a headline in London. Reports say the 21-year-old Belgian barber named Quentin Seperja has been seduced by an Instagram woman. The perpetrators believed that Cepelja was a secret Bitcoin billionaire.
Davina Raaymakers, 20-year-old woman invited Cepelja to London in May 2023 under the guise of a romance. Instead, she led him to a dimly lit bedsit in West London.
Upon arrival, Seperja spots a gangster including a female boyfriend, Adlan Haji.
The group held Cepelja in KnifePoint for nine hours and requested a 500,000 pound ($645,000) code. But their disappointment, Cepelja had just 6.71 pounds ($8.66) in his crypto wallet. They eventually settled down at £2,000 ($2,580) in cash before releasing him.
A friend of the Belgian victim warned the police and later arrested the gang using Airbnb’s booking records. All four suspects pleaded guilty to the horrifying mail and awaited sentence.
Cryptocurrency becomes physical
These two disturbing incidents highlight patterns of growth. As digital assets become mainstream, the physical threats associated with crypto will increase.
Similar incidents have been reported in France targeting ledger users. Other regions include Morocco and the US, the latter leading the case of code temptation.
Just a month ago, in Estonia, an Australian crypto billionaire survived an attempted lure. As it happened, he bit some of his assailant’s fingers to escape.
With fate pinned behind passwords and stored in mobile wallets, criminals are increasingly relying on brutal tactics to force access to cryptographic possessions.
From the Miami cutting plot, the situation of London hostages, code wealth, or even the illusion of it can be fatal.
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