Crypto Journalist
Anas Hassan
Crypto Journalist
Anas Hassan
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Two Texas brothers face federal kidnapping charges after holding a Minnesota family at gunpoint for nine hours while stealing $8 million in crypto, forcing local schools to cancel their homecoming football game.
According to the DOJ, Raymond Christian Garcia, 23, and Isiah Angelo Garcia, 24, used an AR-15 and a shotgun to terrorize victims in their Grant, Minnesota, home on September 19.
A Well-Executed Crypto Heist
The violent heist began at 7:45 am when the brothers ambushed the primary victim while taking garbage to the street.
They zip-tied the man’s hands, forced him inside, and awakened his wife and adult son at gunpoint before binding them as well.
Isiah Garcia forced the father to log into crypto accounts while Raymond held the family hostage for the entire nine-hour ordeal.
The brothers frequently called an unknown third party who provided information about the victim’s crypto holdings and transfer procedures.
When the accomplice revealed additional funds stored at a family cabin three hours away, Isiah drove the victim there while Raymond continued guarding the wife and son.
The victim was forced to transfer all remaining crypto before returning home.
Nine-Hour Terror Campaign Nets Record Crypto Theft
The Garcia brothers executed their plan with military-style precision, using zip ties and assault weapons to maintain control over their victims throughout the extended ordeal.
Raymond Garcia remained armed with the AR-15 rifle during the entire nine hours, only briefly leaving to hide the weapon before police arrival.
Washington County Sheriff’s deputies responded after the son called 911 during a brief moment when Raymond left the house.
Officers found the wife and son still zip-tied inside while spotting Raymond fleeing through the back door toward nearby tree lines.
Authorities discovered a suitcase containing the disassembled AR-15, ammunition, clothing, and beverages hidden in the woods behind the home.
A Wendy’s receipt in the suitcase helped investigators trace Isiah’s rental of a white Chevrolet three days before the kidnapping near Houston.
Video surveillance captured Raymond renting a Motel 6 room in Roseville, Minnesota, shortly before the attack.
The white Malibu returned to the motel after law enforcement responded, then appeared on Oklahoma cameras the next day before reaching the brothers’ home in Waller, Texas.
The elaborate crime forced Mahtomedi Public Schools to cancel their homecoming football game due to ongoing law enforcement activity near campus.
Multiple police units had unknowingly passed Isiah and the victim returning from the cabin, with the pair pulling over to allow emergency vehicles to pass.
Global Crypto Violence Epidemic Reaches Record Levels
The Texas case joins an alarming surge in crypto-related kidnappings worldwide, with blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis reporting 35 wrench attacks globally in July 2025, surpassing nearly all previous years.
The spike correlates directly with Bitcoin’s rise to over $122,000 in early July.
France leads the global crisis with ten crypto kidnappings since January, including the brutal attack on Ledger co-founder David Balland, whose finger was severed by ransom-seeking attackers.
Criminal networks are increasingly using sophisticated tactics, disguising themselves as delivery workers by using stolen, branded vans.
Recent international incidents include Belgian authorities sentencing three men to 12 years for kidnapping crypto investor Stephane Winkel’s wife, while Australian billionaire Tim Heath narrowly escaped kidnapping in Estonia.
US cases span from Florida teenagers forcing a Las Vegas event host to transfer $4 million in the Arizona desert to NYPD officers facing charges in a 17-day Manhattan torture case.
India also recently sentenced 14 men to life imprisonment for kidnapping businessman Shailesh Bhatt and forcing him to sell 34 Bitcoins worth $150,000 in 2018.
The convictions included 11 serving and former police officers, as well as one former legislator.
Due to this massive surge in crypto violence, Security firm Infinite Risks International reports a rise in demand for 24/7 protection services from crypto executives, specifically citing fears of kidnapping.
The visible nature of on-chain wealth combined with poor custody practices creates what experts describe as “prime hunting grounds for criminals.”
Looking forward, the Garcia brothers confessed after their September 22 arrest in Texas, with both facing federal kidnapping charges carrying severe penalties yet to be determined.
https://cryptonews.com/news/texas-siblings-charged-in-violent-8m-crypto-theft-after-9-hour-family-kidnapping/
