Jameson Lopp Uncovers Over 100 Chilling Attacks Targeting Bitcoin Holders

Bijiewang reports:
According to the “Known Physical Bitcoin Attacks” archive maintained by Casa co-founder Jameson Lopp, there have been over 100 physical attacks on Bitcoin users. This archive highlights a concerning trend in the cryptocurrency space: an increase in physical attacks on individuals who own BTC and other digital assets.
While many of these incidents have gone unnoticed, this list serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers associated with owning cryptocurrencies.
Growing Threat
The archive documents numerous violent incidents, starting with Hal Finney, a pioneer in the cryptocurrency and ALS patient, who faced a traumatic encounter with the police at his home in December 2014. While his wife Fran was helping him take a bath, she received a strange call from a 911 operator warning her that a SWAT team was on its way due to false reports of murder and potential suicide.
Just days ago, a tragic shooting occurred near their home in Santa Barbara, prompting an active response from the police. With Fran being forced to leave Hal, who was unable to swallow and relied on a breathing machine, she feared for his safety. This unsettling event was part of a year-long extortion scheme targeting the Finney family, with the caller demanding 1000 BTC (over $400,000 at the time) and threatening violence against the family.
In August 2017, Lopp himself fell victim to a “swatting” incident, where an anonymous caller reported a false hostage situation at his home. Police received the distress call, with the caller claiming to have shot someone and taken hostages, even threatening to detonate explosives if his demand for $60,000 was not met. As heavily armed police and emergency service personnel surrounded the area, Lopp emerged from his home to clarify that it was a hoax. He attributed this attack to online adversaries seeking revenge.
Over the years, the severity of the attacks has escalated. Dwayne Richards was kidnapped and stabbed in New York City, and months later, a cryptocurrency executive was kidnapped in Lithuania. The pattern of violence persists, such as the 2017 robbery of a businessman in Istanbul, where a group stole $2.83 million worth of BTC, demonstrating the high risks associated with cryptocurrency ownership.
Home Invasions and Others
In the UK, three men armed with machetes invaded a house, forcing the homeowner to transfer over 1,000 ETH.
From Pavel Lerner’s kidnapping in Kyiv in December 2017 to a series of home burglaries taking place in Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Cambridge, Massachusetts, China, New York, Dubai, and Bangkok, this list reveals a range of sophisticated strategies employed by criminals.
Meanwhile, two women kidnapped a toddler in a shopping mall, demanding a ransom of $660,000. Additionally, a British cryptocurrency trader was brutally bound and assaulted by five attackers who robbed him. Recently, the parents of the thief became involved in a chilling $243 million heist, where they were kidnapped and held captive in a botched ransom plot.