Spanish police arrested five people and charged four others in Denmark on Thursday over the kidnapping and murder of a man targeted for his cryptocurrency.
The police operation dismantled what authorities described as a criminal group operating across borders to steal cryptocurrencies.
The investigation began in April when a woman came to Malaga police station to report that she and her partner had been kidnapped in the nearby town of Mijas. Police said the couple was ambushed by three or four masked men dressed in black and armed with handguns.
The man was shot in the leg as he tried to run away, then both were forced into a vehicle and taken to a house where they were held for several hours.
The attackers attempted to access the couple’s crypto wallets during the ordeal. The woman was released around midnight, but her partner’s deceased body was later found in a wooded area. He showed signs of violence in addition to the gunshot wound, according to police.
Authorities carried out six searches of homes in Madrid and Malaga, seizing two handguns – one real and one fake – a baton, bloodstained clothing, mobile devices and documents.
Biological evidence related to the scene was also found. Danish police, together with their Spanish counterparts, have charged four people in connection with the case. Two of them are already in prison for similar crimes.
The case highlights a growing trend: physical attacks aimed at extracting access to crypto wallets. These attacks have been influential in the crypto space this year and have led to campaigns against so-called key attacks.
