Kyiv police announced on July 29 the arrest of four men in connection with the kidnapping, robbery, and murder of a Moroccan man, English-speaking Ukrainian news outlet The Kyiv Independent reported.
The victim, a 29-year-old bitcoin holder, was abducted from outside his home in the Solomianskyi district of Kyiv around midnight on an unspecified date.
Kyiv police said that witnesses reported hearing screams and seeing the man being beaten before being forced into a car. The victim was then taken to an abandoned building where he was coerced into transferring $170,000 in Bitcoin (3 Bitcoins) to the attackers’ digital wallets. After the transfer, the attackers strangled the victim and buried his body in a forest.
CCTV footage released by the police shows the moment of the kidnapping, and authorities noted that the perpetrators had prepared in advance for the crime.
The subsequent police operation led to the arrests of four men aged 24 to 29. Police allege that the suspects altered their vehicle’s number plates to hide evidence.
Authorities have seized money, a car, and other material evidence from the suspects.
The arrested face charges of murder, robbery, and concealment of a crime, and could face life imprisonment if convicted. They are currently in police custody with no option for bail.