Three Missouri men have been charged over an alleged plot to rob Bitcoin (BTC) through a planned home invasion in Connecticut, federal prosecutors announced on Aug. 4, 2026. Sedric Louis, 32, John Davis, 34, and Martel Williams, 27, all of St. Louis, face a charge of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery — commonly known as Hobbs Act robbery — which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut, the case stems from an incident in August 2024, when Danbury police arrested six Florida men involved in a violent carjacking, beating, and kidnapping of two people. Investigators later identified the victims as the parents of a person who had participated in the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in BTC. Prosecutors allege that the coordinators of that earlier kidnapping recruited Louis, Davis, and Williams to carry out a home invasion targeting the same family.
Between Aug. 21 and Aug. 24, 2024, the three men and others traveled to Connecticut, obtained rental vehicles and supplies — including air rifles and walkie-talkies — and spent two days surveilling the intended target and his parents. The alleged plan was to force their way into the home, threaten the victim, and demand a transfer of stolen cryptocurrency into accounts controlled by the scheme's organizers. However, fearing that home security cameras had captured their activities and frustrated by the plan’s execution, the Missouri group abandoned the attempt and left the state. Another crew from Florida subsequently arrived to attempt the robbery, leading to the August 2024 kidnapping.
A federal grand jury in New Haven returned a second superseding indictment on May 22, 2026, charging the three men. Louis and Davis have been detained since their arrests on June 25, 2026, and both pleaded not guilty on July 30. Williams appeared on July 17, entered a not guilty plea, and was released on bond. The Justice Department stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants are presumed innocent.
The broader prosecution already includes guilty pleas from two alleged coordinators: Adam Iza, who pleaded guilty on June 1 and faces sentencing on Aug. 12, and Saif Faiq, who pleaded guilty on June 8 and is set for sentencing on Aug. 28. Six other individuals charged in the kidnapping and carjacking have also pleaded guilty. The case highlights the use of physical violence to coerce cryptocurrency owners, echoing similar incidents such as a $6.5 million crypto robbery involving kidnapping and forced transfers.
