People have died for owning btc!!!

[Sioni]

While I don't have any issues with been public about the amount of btc you own, I would advice you stay cautious because people have actually been tracked down, almost killed, some killed because of their btc holdings.

In 2022, a very close friend of mine narrowly escaped been killed because he spoke about his bitcoin holding on a Twitter space, this particular incident is not on any media nor was it even reported to the law enforcement agency because I come from a 3rd world country. He went totally off grid by deleting all his social media account since that incidence and rarely even use the internet today. What happened was that after the space, he observed he got some good amount of twitter follower, little did he know that a serial killer was among, he was been trailed and monitored until they got his location and sought him out. Dude was coming back home from the supermarket when he was attacked, he thought it was a usual robbery until the perpetrator demanded for his phone and asked him to open his Xverse wallet(Unknown to them that he had a hard wallet and there was only a little holding in that Xverse wallet). The little amount he had there, about $1k was withdrawn to another wallet immediately and they dealt with him so badly after that, luckily, he wasn't killed but seriously injured and had to take himself to the clinic after the incidence, infact when narrating to me, he said they had guns and one of the guys said he should be killed but the others disagreed and they left him. This is not a fiction, true life story. Begged him several times to come online and share his ordeal but he has refused adamantly every time, I hope one day he can share so others can learn.

I also took time to research incidence across the world of people murdered which was traced to the bitcoin holdings, here's a few:

1. Kyiv, Ukraine (2024):
   A 29-year-old Bitcoin trader was kidnapped and murdered after assailants targeted him to steal ~3 BTC (worth ~$200,000). You can find full news on 'The Block'

2. South Africa (2018)
   A man named Andrew was lured under false pretenses, tortured (burned with hot irons), and threatened with death until he gave up his btc wallet credentials.

3. Oslo, Norway (2018)
   A 24-year-old was found murdered in his apartment after selling a large amount of Bitcoin for cash. Investigations from local security unit suggested that the homicide was connected to that transaction.

4. Manhattan, USA (2025)
   A crypto investor was charged with kidnapping and torturing a victim over several weeks to obtain his Bitcoin password. Physical abuse, threats, and use of a gun were said to have been involved

I am sure there are several others like my friend that unaccounted for on the media, some killed and never lived to tell the story like my friend, some badly injured and lost their btc holding . All in all, its a cruel world out there, so as much as possible try stay anonymous especially now that btc is actually worth a fortune.

Are there other incidence you heard about or aware of either through the media or personally?
Can you share with us so we can all learn?

[Stepstowealth]

Some of these cases are proofs that simply owning bitcoin and making it public can be you putting your life at risk. This is why it is very necessary to know your environment and understand the risk level of owning bitcoin in one. In some places where bitcoin is a common knowledge and normal for people to own, you may not be at risk identifying as one of those persons who own it, but in an environment where there is low ownership of bitcoins, staying secret about your bitcoins can save your life and will be the wise thing to do.

[Smartvirus]

What happened was that after the space, he observed he got some good amount of twitter follower, little did he know that a serial killer was among, he was been trailed and monitored until they got his location and sought him out. Dude was coming back home from the supermarket when he was attacked, he thought it was a usual robbery until the perpetrator demanded for his phone and asked him to open his Xverse wallet(Unknown to them that he had a hard wallet and there was only a little holding in that Xverse wallet). The little amount he had there, about $1k was withdrawn to another wallet immediately and they dealt with him so badly after that, luckily, he was killed but seriously injured and had to take himself to the clinic after the incidence, infact when narrating to me, he said they had guns and one of the guys said he should be killed but the others disagreed and they left him.

I think the word that is missing in that is, “wasn’t” since your friend is alive and well.

Normally, people try to follow wealth wherever it might be. While some would want to win with you by tracing your steps to success, others would want to take from you what you’ve taken time and efforts to build. When you decide to go public on certain issues, you sure should know there would be consequences. Everyone out there with not much to offer themselves is out for what you’ve got. Not many of them would play it cool and so, if you’ve gotten so much, it’s either you keep a low profile or be ready to have securities around you at all times.

Even without going this public, I hear of late that people are dying from losses. Market fluctuations is real and while you invest huge, also know it’s not entirely profit but then, time could bring you back to profit after a loss. While at a loss, buy even more and hodl to double up when it pumps.

[X-ray]

It's the same risk as self custody of any valuable asset including gold. There's always bad people trying rob it off you.

Staying low is always the key and never expose your wealth too much in social media. Apparently there's just too much people doing it for clout or fame not knowing that it could be really harmful eventually when people starting to have nasty idea.

[Abiky]

While I don't have any issues with been public about the amount of btc you own, I would advice you stay cautious because people have actually been tracked down, almost killed, some killed because of their btc holdings.

In 2022, a very close friend of mine narrowly escaped been killed because he spoke about his bitcoin holding on a Twitter space, this particular incident is not on any media nor was it even reported to the law enforcement agency because I come from a 3rd world country. He went totally off grid by deleting all his social media account since that incidence and rarely even use the internet today. What happened was that after the space, he observed he got some good amount of twitter follower, little did he know that a serial killer was among, he was been trailed and monitored until they got his location and sought him out. Dude was coming back home from the supermarket when he was attacked, he thought it was a usual robbery until the perpetrator demanded for his phone and asked him to open his Xverse wallet(Unknown to them that he had a hard wallet and there was only a little holding in that Xverse wallet). The little amount he had there, about $1k was withdrawn to another wallet immediately and they dealt with him so badly after that, luckily, he wasn't killed but seriously injured and had to take himself to the clinic after the incidence, infact when narrating to me, he said they had guns and one of the guys said he should be killed but the others disagreed and they left him. This is not a fiction, true life story. Begged him several times to come online and share his ordeal but he has refused adamantly every time, I hope one day he can share so others can learn.

I also took time to research incidence across the world of people murdered which was traced to the bitcoin holdings, here's a few:

1. Kyiv, Ukraine (2024):
   A 29-year-old Bitcoin trader was kidnapped and murdered after assailants targeted him to steal ~3 BTC (worth ~$200,000). You can find full news on 'The Block'

2. South Africa (2018)
   A man named Andrew was lured under false pretenses, tortured (burned with hot irons), and threatened with death until he gave up his btc wallet credentials.

3. Oslo, Norway (2018)
   A 24-year-old was found murdered in his apartment after selling a large amount of Bitcoin for cash. Investigations from local security unit suggested that the homicide was connected to that transaction.

4. Manhattan, USA (2025)
   A crypto investor was charged with kidnapping and torturing a victim over several weeks to obtain his Bitcoin password. Physical abuse, threats, and use of a gun were said to have been involved

I am sure there are several others like my friend that unaccounted for on the media, some killed and never lived to tell the story like my friend, some badly injured and lost their btc holding . All in all, its a cruel world out there, so as much as possible try stay anonymous especially now that btc is actually worth a fortune.

Are there other incidence you heard about or aware of either through the media or personally?
Can you share with us so we can all learn?

Yes. It's tragic. But that comes as a result of disclosing one's Bitcoin holdings in public. Or by simply announcing you're a Bitcoiner. You must be very low-profile, not to attract unwanted attention. Especially when it comes to something as valuable as Bitcoin. Would you imagine anyone announcing he/she is a Gold bug or one who owns Gold? It will put his/her life at risk. Totally not worth it. I remember an influencer called "Amouranth" who was ordered to hand over her crypto at gunpoint by a few teenagers. That was a few months ago.

As it's said in the real world, "keep it secret, keep it safe". Just live a normal life without ever mentioning you hold Bitcoin or are involved in it. Keep your public addresses hidden from plain sight, and there should be nothing to worry about.

[GoldBitcoin112]

While I don't have any issues with been public about the amount of btc you own, I would advice you stay cautious because people have actually been tracked down, almost killed, some killed because of their btc holdings.

In 2022, a very close friend of mine narrowly escaped been killed because he spoke about his bitcoin holding on a Twitter space, this particular incident is not on any media nor was it even reported to the law enforcement agency because I come from a 3rd world country. He went totally off grid by deleting all his social media account since that incidence and rarely even use the internet today. What happened was that after the space, he observed he got some good amount of twitter follower, little did he know that a serial killer was among, he was been trailed and monitored until they got his location and sought him out. Dude was coming back home from the supermarket when he was attacked, he thought it was a usual robbery until the perpetrator demanded for his phone and asked him to open his Xverse wallet(Unknown to them that he had a hard wallet and there was only a little holding in that Xverse wallet). The little amount he had there, about $1k was withdrawn to another wallet immediately and they dealt with him so badly after that, luckily, he wasn't killed but seriously injured and had to take himself to the clinic after the incidence, infact when narrating to me, he said they had guns and one of the guys said he should be killed but the others disagreed and they left him. This is not a fiction, true life story. Begged him several times to come online and share his ordeal but he has refused adamantly every time, I hope one day he can share so others can learn.

I also took time to research incidence across the world of people murdered which was traced to the bitcoin holdings, here's a few:

1. Kyiv, Ukraine (2024):
   A 29-year-old Bitcoin trader was kidnapped and murdered after assailants targeted him to steal ~3 BTC (worth ~$200,000). You can find full news on 'The Block'

2. South Africa (2018)
   A man named Andrew was lured under false pretenses, tortured (burned with hot irons), and threatened with death until he gave up his btc wallet credentials.

3. Oslo, Norway (2018)
   A 24-year-old was found murdered in his apartment after selling a large amount of Bitcoin for cash. Investigations from local security unit suggested that the homicide was connected to that transaction.

4. Manhattan, USA (2025)
   A crypto investor was charged with kidnapping and torturing a victim over several weeks to obtain his Bitcoin password. Physical abuse, threats, and use of a gun were said to have been involved

I am sure there are several others like my friend that unaccounted for on the media, some killed and never lived to tell the story like my friend, some badly injured and lost their btc holding . All in all, its a cruel world out there, so as much as possible try stay anonymous especially now that btc is actually worth a fortune.

Are there other incidence you heard about or aware of either through the media or personally?
Can you share with us so we can all learn?

The account that the BTC was moved would have been traced ,any issue of stealing should be fast reported to the police for future disciplinary actions to be taken

[martinex]

The account that the BTC was moved would have been traced ,any issue of stealing should be fast reported to the police for future disciplinary actions to be taken

That's a problem related to the lengthy legal process. I think the current thinking to avoid the same problem is to try to be smart together with what our senior Abiky has conveyed. I don't think it's difficult to implement, especially since the risk is very high if our holdings are quite a few BTC.

Avoid showing off in the media because it doesn't require praise and appreciation if you truly have enough assets, only you know. It's like the word "secret," meaning something that shouldn't be widely known and is private, but once it's revealed, it's no longer a secret.

[BIT-BENDER]

Don't make it a Bitcoin thing, many more people have suffered similar faith because their financial status was exposed to the wrong people.

This type of thread should not be targeted at Bitcoin alone. If you own anything especially when you are wealthy you need to keep a low profile and protect yourself, showing off wealth is the fastest way to become a target to the wrong people.

[Su-asa]

Some of these cases are proofs that simply owning bitcoin and making it public can be you putting your life at risk. This is why it is very necessary to know your environment and understand the risk level of owning bitcoin in one. In some places where bitcoin is a common knowledge and normal for people to own, you may not be at risk identifying as one of those persons who own it, but in an environment where there is low ownership of bitcoins, staying secret about your bitcoins can save your life and will be the wise thing to do.

It is just as simple as you have said it. Showcasing your crypto assets on social media can put at risk because many people are dreaming to own what you have. And truth be told that many people can do anything just to get access to your crypto assets so that they can all steal if from you. So as a matter of fact, it's very good to keep it as secret as you can for your own safety. However, many crypto enthusiast are still falling for this because they don't[ know how to keep things secret which is why they are learning the hard way. Those who the op mentioned are just few of them, if we can take our time to make more research you will find out that many have lost their lives because of this.

[Fiatless]

This fear of being attacked for owning Bitcoin is not just in developing nations, as I thought. There were reports of kidnappings in the US and France just recently. People flaunt their wealth on social media for several reasons. Crypto influencers do it to gain more followers and make money through advertising. While others show off because they want public attention. Bitcoin was created for privacy, so I don't know why people want to show the whole world that they own the coin. When you play the music, be ready to dance the tune. Maybe they should spend more money on private security.  But for me, modesty is golden.       

[Ultegra134]

Don't make it a Bitcoin thing, many more people have suffered similar faith because their financial status was exposed to the wrong people.

This type of thread should not be targeted at Bitcoin alone. If you own anything especially when you are wealthy you need to keep a low profile and protect yourself, showing off wealth is the fastest way to become a target to the wrong people.

That's what I was about to say. This thread is targeted to very few and specific cases of robberies/murders to steal their coins. In reality though, how many robberies, kidnappings etc happen around the world and solely involve fiat money? The answer is an abundance of them, it's a daily occurrence, while cryptocurrency related cases are very limited. The main point of this issue is to never flaunt your wealth on public and to the wrong kind of people, don't become their target, and this is irrelevant if it's Bitcoin, or a simple "fiat" robbery.

[NotATether]

People are not killed for owning BTC (otherwise I wouldn't be alive to type this), they are killed for flaunting their wealth, or doing a large trade without reasonable security.

If you are going to sell a million dollars worth of BTC, you have armed body guards, right? Right??

[ashmodeus]

Compare this to other crimes unrelated to Bitcoin; I'm sure the number is much higher, as criminals are after your wealth, whether in the form of gold, luxury goods, or cash. Therefore, it's not because you own Bitcoin that you become a target for criminals, but because you start flaunting your possessions. Crimes occur because of mistakes we make; humility is key to self-protection.

[SatoPrincess]

The problem is not owning bitcoin, the problems comes with disclosing you own bitcoin to everyone and anyone on social media. And no matter how many cases like these come up, some people will never learn because of their need to feel important and getting likes on the internet supersedes their common sense.

[Richbased]

What you should know is that it isn't only about flaunting your wealth or your holdings in bitcoin that is the problem, there are people who are in this life to monitor other peoples lifestyle. Criminals are everywhere looking for the slightest opportunity to attack their victim. However, if people are not convinced that you are really succeeding in your bitcoin investment how can you persuade them to invest in it. We live in a world where before people will listen to you about an investment, they would want to know if you are living rich. Though it's not necessary to prove a point to anyone but believe me, the only way to live a secured life is to act smart. ''Don't keep all your eggs in one basket'', that is, don't keep all your bitcoins in one wallet so that if situations like that of your friend happens to anyone, the criminals can just go away with the few amount you have in one of your wallets while the huge amount you own remains in your hard wallet, it's that simple.

[mindrust]

Money likes silence. If you get too much visibility, you are inviting trouble.

As Frank Lopez, one of the world’s wisest person once said, if you want to last in this business you gotta fly straight. Low key and quiet. Guys who want everything like lambos, coke&blow and shiet… they don’t last.

People think Scarface is a cheesy movie you watch and delete from memory but fuck no. Scarface is a life lesson which many people forget. It teaches you what happens when your ego and greed takes over.

But do people pay attention? Nah. There is a new Tony Montana wannabe born every minute.

R.I.P. Robert Loggia, forever the voice of reason.

[Lontor]

Some of these cases are proofs that simply owning bitcoin and making it public can be you putting your life at risk. This is why it is very necessary to know your environment and understand the risk level of owning bitcoin in one. In some places where bitcoin is a common knowledge and normal for people to own, you may not be at risk identifying as one of those persons who own it, but in an environment where there is low ownership of bitcoins, staying secret about your bitcoins can save your life and will be the wise thing to do.

How about those who just died without any violence? The best thing to do is enjoy your life while you are investing. Tomorrow is not guaranteed, death doesn't care if you successfully acquired 1 BTC, if your time is up you are going, no man can cheat death.

While you are investing or DCAing into Bitcoin don't forget to live like its your last days,

[Pumpsta]

While you are investing or DCAing into Bitcoin don't forget to live like its your last days,

This is a conflicting advice because if I knew I was living my last days then I’d definitely not gonna think about investing in Bitcoin.. yeah you probably shouldn’t be a desperate cheapstake & throw all your life out to invest money into BTC but an equilibrium sounds nicer. Just find a way to enjoy life decently while stacking up your Bitcoin.

[Crypto Library]

It is for these reasons that I believe we should always keep our financial situations hidden from the public and not share them with everyone. In my own country too, I have heard of many such incidents where kidnappings have taken place and assets worth 100k dollars have been stolen from them. Apart from this, we hear many other such unofficial news but since crypto currency is currently illegal in our country, we cannot even take any legal action.

So I think we should make both decentralization and privacy a reality for which Bitcoin was created. And besides, I don't think we need to highlight such news, especially negative news about cryptocurrencies, because if we look at the reality, there are many cases where people have been killed while trying to rob gold or fiat currency, and this number is actually high in the current world.

[Cantsay]

This story is a made up story.

I see so many obvious things that makes me believe that nothing like this actually happened. First, you mentioned that the victim was tracked because of a space he held on X and if that’s true then it means that those guys already have the rough idea of the amount he possesses so paying them off with just a thousand dollars it sound so fake.

If it was true, what they’ll do is to take him (kidnap him) and then pressure him to reveal the location - this is because his money is in the public domain so they know rough estimates and definitely won’t settle for a just a thousand dollars.