Man Sentenced in Bitcoin Kidnapping Plot

Said Faiq, 23, was sentenced to four years in federal prison and two years of supervised release for helping plan a 2024 attempt to rob a Connecticut family of cryptocurrency. In a related case, Martel Williams, 27, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery after traveling to Connecticut with associates, gathering equipment and surveilling the intended target and his parents. The crew abandoned its plan, reportedly because of concerns about home security cameras. Prosecutors say a separate group later carjacked and kidnapped the parents in Danbury on Aug. 25, 2024, to pressure their son—allegedly linked to a major Bitcoin theft—to transfer cryptocurrency; the six men were arrested in connection with the attack. Williams faces up to 20 years in prison and is awaiting sentencing, which has not been scheduled.