Ringleader In NYC Cryptocurrency Kidnapping Pleads Guilty: DA

UPTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — The man who orchestrated an elaborate scheme to kidnap a man and steal $1.8 million in cryptocurrency holdings pleaded guilty Wednesday, the Manhattan District Attorney's office announced.

Louis Meza, 35, hired three associates to kidnap a man and drive him around Uptown Manhattan while he gained access to the victim's apartment and digital wallet, prosecutors said. He pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree grand larceny and one count of second-degree kidnapping — both felonies — prosecutors said.

"Louis Meza orchestrated a 21st-century stick-up," District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., said in a statement. "Then 21st-century investigators brought him swiftly to justice, securing a landmark conviction in an undeveloped area of the law."

Meza hired Cesar "Fuego" Guzman, Allen "Joker" Nunez and Darrel "Bishop" Colon to help kidnap a man in a man in November of 2017 after learning of the victim's vast holdings in the cryptocurrency Ether, prosecutors said. Meza arranged a meeting with the victim on Nov. 4 and insisted that the victim take a car service back to his Manhattan home, prosecutors said. Meza then directed the victim to get into a waiting minivan, in which Guzman, Nunez and Colon were lying in wait, prosecutors said.

Nunez posed as a car service driver and began driving the victim to Uptown Manhattan when Colon, hiding in the rear of the vehicle, jumped out and threatened the victim with a gun, prosecutors said. Colon forced the victim to hand over his phone, wallet, house keys and password to his digital wallet which were handed of to Meza and Guzman, prosecutors said.

Meza gained access to the digital wallet using the password obtained by Colon and transferred the $1.8 million in Ether into his personal account, police said. Hired goons Guzman, Nunez and Colon were indicted in June, prosecutors said.

The victim was eventually able to escape from the minivan and call police, prosecutors said. His identity was not revealed and the stolen funds were eventually returned to the man.

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