Ukrainian Official’s Son Murdered After Kidnappers Steal His Cryptocurrency

• A 21-year-old Ukrainian student in Vienna, believed to be the son of a local politician, was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by two men who wanted access to his cryptocurrency wallets.
• Austrian and Ukrainian authorities have arrested the two suspects after discovering that the victim’s crypto wallets had been completely drained and his body burnt.

A recent news story shared by a local news outlet in Ukraine has shown how far criminals are willing to go to get whatever they want. In this case, steal cryptocurrency. According to the recent report, a 21-year-old Ukrainian student, believed to be the son of a local politician, was kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by criminals who wanted to steal his cryptocurrency.

How the Cryptocurrency Theft Case Started

The victim, Danilo Kuzmin, was studying in Vienna and was reported missing by his family a week before the news broke out. It was during the search that the Ukrainian media identified his father as Sergey Kuzmin, the deputy mayor of Kharkiv, one of Ukraine’s biggest cities.

After a week of searching, it was discovered that Denilo’s body was brutalized, burnt, and put in the back seat of a Mercedes as the criminals attempted to cover up any evidence in the future. The burnt body was later discovered in the underground parking lot of a luxury hotel in Vienna’s Donaustadt district; it was eyewitnesses and hotel residents that called the police after seeing the vehicle on fire. The car carried Ukrainian license plates, raising questions about the victim and those involved.

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The Role Security Authorities Played in Catching the Criminals

Immediately the news came out, the Austrian authorities, in partnership with Ukrainian police and Europol, launched a detailed investigation, and they have identified two suspects, one aged 19 and the other, 45. The two men have been arrested in Ukraine after an international warrant was issued against them.

So far, the forensic experts that examined the body found clear signs of severe beatings, as well as extensive burns. Investigators concluded that the young man likely died from either asphyxiation or heat shock before or during the burning.

The police also confirmed that the kidnappers managed to steal a large amount of cryptocurrency from the victim. Although the exact amount has not yet been disclosed, the officials stated all Danilo’s crypto wallets had been completely drained. A significant amount of cash, including bundles of U.S. dollars, was found on one of the arrested men, and investigators believe the money came directly from the crime.

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