According to Decrypt, a Ukrainian man named Viacheslav Leibov recently fell victim to a violent robbery involving cryptocurrency. The incident occurred in a hotel room where Leibov was invited by his 18-year-old Ukrainian friend, Alfred Chernyshuk. Upon entering the room, Leibov encountered an Armenian man, Arman Grigoryan, who engaged him in conversation on the balcony. The situation escalated when Leibov went to use the toilet and was confronted by two masked men. They tied him up and demanded he transfer 500,000 USDT to a specified wallet, threatening to break his fingers if he refused. Grigoryan wielded a hammer, while one of the masked men brandished a long knife.
Leibov managed to negotiate the amount down to 250,000 USDT, which he transferred to the attackers' wallet. After the transfer, he was tied to a bed and warned against reporting the crime. The assailants then left the room with their belongings. Leibov eventually freed himself and alerted hotel staff, who confirmed that the room was rented under the names of Chernyshuk and Grigoryan. Despite his efforts to locate the attackers at the airport, Leibov was unsuccessful and subsequently reported the incident to the police.
This robbery is part of a growing trend of violent attacks targeting cryptocurrency holders. A similar incident occurred in Thailand, where Rooch Network co-founder Haichao Zhu was robbed at knifepoint in Bangkok. Additionally, in Canada, Dean Skurka, CEO of WonderFi Technologies, was kidnapped and held for ransom. These incidents highlight the increasing risks faced by individuals involved in the cryptocurrency industry.
