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Three Missouri Men Indicted in Connecticut Kidnapping Linked to $245 Million Bitcoin Theft
Three men from St. Louis, Missouri, have been charged by federal prosecutors for their alleged role in a violent carjacking and kidnapping that took place in Danbury, Connecticut, in August 2024. The case is tied to an earlier theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin that was reported to have involved the victims’ son.
According to the indictment filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut, the men—Sedric Louis (32), John Davis (34) and Martel Williams (27)—were recruited to help a larger scheme that sought to force a Connecticut resident to transfer stolen cryptocurrency into accounts controlled by the conspirators. Between August 21 and August 24, the trio traveled to Connecticut, rented vehicles, and acquired supplies such as air rifles and walkie‑talkies. They stalked the target and his parents over two days, waiting for an opportunity to break into the home. The indictment says the men abandoned the plan after security cameras captured their presence and after they felt they had been misinformed by co‑conspirators.
The indictment further states that a separate crew of six men from Florida carried out the actual kidnapping and carjacking on August 25. Police in Danbury arrested the Florida men, who had taken the couple’s vehicle in broad daylight and then tied the husband and wife with duct tape. The victims were the parents of a person who allegedly participated in the $245 million Bitcoin theft.
On May 22, a grand jury in New Haven returned a superseding indictment charging Louis, Davis and Williams with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Louis and Davis were detained after their arrest on June 25. Both men entered a plea of not guilty in Bridgeport federal court on July 30. Williams pleaded not guilty on July 17 and was released on bond.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI New Haven Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes personnel from the Connecticut State Police and local agencies, as well as FBI offices in Los Angeles and St. Louis and the Danbury Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck and Daniel George led the prosecution.
The case is part of a broader effort to address the use of cryptocurrency in violent crime. The $245 million Bitcoin theft was reported in early June 2026, and a Missouri man had pleaded guilty to a role in the scheme. Prosecutors have linked the kidnapping to the theft, arguing that the kidnappers sought to compel the victim to transfer the stolen coins.
As of the latest court filings, the three men remain in federal custody or on bond, and the case is pending further proceedings. The indictment does not specify the amount of Bitcoin that was ultimately transferred, if any, or the current status of the stolen funds. The investigation continues to examine the connections between the kidnapping, the carjacking and the larger cryptocurrency theft.
The case illustrates how law‑enforcement agencies are tracking the intersection of traditional violent crime and digital‑asset theft. It also highlights the challenges prosecutors face in proving that a kidnapping was motivated by a desire to obtain cryptocurrency, rather than a conventional ransom.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanked the Central District of California, the Eastern District of Missouri, the District of Columbia, the District of New Jersey and the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Danbury for their assistance. The case remains open, and additional charges or evidence may emerge as the investigation proceeds.
According to the indictment filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut, the men—Sedric Louis (32), John Davis (34) and Martel Williams (27)—were recruited to help a larger scheme that sought to force a Connecticut resident to transfer stolen cryptocurrency into accounts controlled by the conspirators. Between August 21 and August 24, the trio traveled to Connecticut, rented vehicles, and acquired supplies such as air rifles and walkie‑talkies. They stalked the target and his parents over two days, waiting for an opportunity to break into the home. The indictment says the men abandoned the plan after security cameras captured their presence and after they felt they had been misinformed by co‑conspirators.
The indictment further states that a separate crew of six men from Florida carried out the actual kidnapping and carjacking on August 25. Police in Danbury arrested the Florida men, who had taken the couple’s vehicle in broad daylight and then tied the husband and wife with duct tape. The victims were the parents of a person who allegedly participated in the $245 million Bitcoin theft.
On May 22, a grand jury in New Haven returned a superseding indictment charging Louis, Davis and Williams with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Louis and Davis were detained after their arrest on June 25. Both men entered a plea of not guilty in Bridgeport federal court on July 30. Williams pleaded not guilty on July 17 and was released on bond.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI New Haven Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes personnel from the Connecticut State Police and local agencies, as well as FBI offices in Los Angeles and St. Louis and the Danbury Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck and Daniel George led the prosecution.
The case is part of a broader effort to address the use of cryptocurrency in violent crime. The $245 million Bitcoin theft was reported in early June 2026, and a Missouri man had pleaded guilty to a role in the scheme. Prosecutors have linked the kidnapping to the theft, arguing that the kidnappers sought to compel the victim to transfer the stolen coins.
As of the latest court filings, the three men remain in federal custody or on bond, and the case is pending further proceedings. The indictment does not specify the amount of Bitcoin that was ultimately transferred, if any, or the current status of the stolen funds. The investigation continues to examine the connections between the kidnapping, the carjacking and the larger cryptocurrency theft.
The case illustrates how law‑enforcement agencies are tracking the intersection of traditional violent crime and digital‑asset theft. It also highlights the challenges prosecutors face in proving that a kidnapping was motivated by a desire to obtain cryptocurrency, rather than a conventional ransom.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanked the Central District of California, the Eastern District of Missouri, the District of Columbia, the District of New Jersey and the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Danbury for their assistance. The case remains open, and additional charges or evidence may emerge as the investigation proceeds.
