Three violent crypto robberies: torture, smoke bombs, and $11M theft targeting OpenAI CEO’s ex

This week has already been marked by three reports of crypto-related physical attacks, which once again remind us of the importance of properly securing our funds and ourselves.

The most gruesome of the three happened in Canada in 2024. However, the graphic details were revealed only this week after a resident of Hong Kong, Tsz Wing Boaz Chan, 35, was sentenced earlier this November to seven years in prison for taking part in a home invasion.

According to the court documents, the criminals attacked a local family and kept them tied up at home, while sexually assaulting the daughter and waterboarding two other members of the family, all while trying to get access to their bank accounts and crypto wallets. The criminals managed to steal more than 30 bitcoin (BTC), which were worth around $2 million at the time.

"There are many aggravating features of this case, which I will not repeat other than to say that this was an elaborately planned offence that involved extreme violence over a very long period, with enormous financial consequences, on top of the profound emotional impact it will continue to have on the victims," the judge said, adding that "Mr. Chan has otherwise been a pro-social individual, has pleaded guilty, expressed remorse, and was not the mastermind of this offence."

Meanwhile, another incident occurred in San Francisco this past weekend, when a criminal posing as a deliveryman stole $11 million in cryptocurrency, along with a phone and a laptop.

According to the New York Post (NYP), citing "police sources and people with knowledge of their prior relationship," the victim is Lachy Groom, 31, a venture capitalist and ex-boyfriend of OpenAI’s founder and CEO, Sam Altman.

As the video of the "deliveryman" circulates on social media, reports claim that the thief pulled a gun and duct-taped the victim, who suffered "minor injuries." Per NYP's sources, it is believed to be a targeted attack by an organized crime group.

Robber posing as a delivery driver steals $11,000,000 in crypto after pulling a gun and duct-taping the victim in San Francisco pic.twitter.com/Jny8HfVvGC

undefined BAY AREA STATE OF MIND (@YayAreaNews) November 24, 2025

The third case happened in Russia, where, according to local media reports, a 21-year-old man was arrested after trying to rob a local crypto exchange that was operating from an apartment hotel room in St. Petersburg.

Per the reports, the thief detonated airsoft grenades, used a smoke bomb, and ordered the employees of the exchange to send their crypto assets to his wallet.

A crypto-related physical attack database, maintained by bitcoiner Jameson Lopp, saw over 60 new entries this year, compared with 38 in 2024.

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