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A cryptocurrency investor was forced to walk miles through the Arizona desert after being kidnapped and robbed of $4 million by three teenagers, two of whom are now facing adult charges in Las Vegas. The group allegedly carried out the attack after targeting the victim near his apartment following a crypto event in November.
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Investigators say the suspects drove the man across state lines before dumping him in White Hills, Arizona—roughly an hour from Las Vegas. Left without transportation or support, he made his way to a gas station, where he reached out to a friend for help.
The case, detailed in recently released court records, involves Belal Ashraf and Austin Fletcher, both 16, along with a third unidentified accomplice who authorities say has fled the country. All three are accused of forcibly obtaining the victim’s passwords while threatening his life and claiming they had also kidnapped his father.
During the abduction, a towel was reportedly placed over the victim’s head while he was ordered not to look at the suspects. He was told that if he cooperated, he might survive the encounter.
The digital assets were allegedly drained from the victim’s accounts once the teenagers secured access. Investigators later tracked one suspect vehicle traveling from Florida to Nevada, which was spotted in the area around the victim’s home. That led law enforcement to connect the teens to the crime.
The attack is said to have taken place shortly after the investor had wrapped up a cryptocurrency event in downtown Las Vegas. He had just returned home when the group approached and forced him into their vehicle at gunpoint.
The legal process for Ashraf and Fletcher is underway. A juvenile court judge has already ruled they will be prosecuted as adults. Authorities are continuing efforts to identify and locate the third teen involved.