Two brothers from Texas have pleaded guilty to federal robbery charges after admitting their role in a kidnapping scheme that forced a Minnesota family to hand over more than $8 million in cryptocurrency.
According to U.S. prosecutors, Isiah Angelo Garcia and Raymond Christian Garcia pleaded guilty to Interference with Commerce by Robbery, a federal offense that carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.
Authorities said the brothers traveled from Texas to Minnesota in September 2025 and targeted a family believed to hold substantial cryptocurrency assets. Prosecutors alleged that the victim, his wife, and their son were threatened at gunpoint and subjected to hours of intimidation.
According to court documents, the victim’s wife and son were held inside the family home for nearly nine hours, while the victim was taken to a remote family cabin several hours away. There, he was allegedly forced to transfer approximately $8 million worth of cryptocurrency from online accounts and hardware wallets.
The situation began to unravel when the family’s son managed to contact emergency services. Law enforcement officers responded, recovered firearms, and gathered surveillance evidence that investigators said connected the brothers to the crime.
As part of their plea agreements, both defendants admitted that firearms were used during the robbery and agreed to pay more than $8 million in restitution. Sentencing dates have not yet been announced.
The case highlights a growing trend of criminals targeting cryptocurrency holders through physical threats and kidnappings rather than cyberattacks. Security researchers have reported a sharp increase in crypto-related kidnappings and assaults worldwide, as criminals seek direct access to digital assets that can be transferred quickly and are often difficult to recover once stolen.
Recent incidents have occurred in multiple countries, including the United States and France, raising concerns about the personal security risks faced by individuals known to hold large amounts of cryptocurrency. Authorities and security experts increasingly recommend that crypto investors keep details of their holdings private, use strong security measures, and avoid publicly disclosing significant digital asset wealth.
