In a landmark case, a federal jury in Greensboro, North Carolina, has found 24-year-old Remy St. Felix guilty of orchestrating a far-reaching conspiracy to target US citizens for their cryptocurrency assets. The verdict, delivered on June 25, follows a trial that exposed the violent home invasions and sophisticated money-laundering techniques used by St. Felix and his co-conspirators to steal victims' cryptocurrencies.

St. Felix faced a total of nine counts, including conspiracy, kidnapping, Hobbs Act robbery, wire fraud, and brandishing a firearm during the commission of his crimes. The severity of these charges reflects the gravity of his offenses and the profound impact on the victims. According to U.S. Attorney Sandra Hairstone, the victims suffered a "horrible, painful experience" that no citizen should ever have to endure.

The investigation, led by the FBI's Charlotte Field Office, revealed that between December 2022 and July 2023, St. Felix and his accomplices employed violence, kidnapping, and threats to coerce victims into transferring their cryptocurrency holdings. They gained unauthorized access to targets' email accounts and conducted physical surveillance before carrying out the home invasions. In one notable incident, St. Felix and Elmer Ruben Castro forcibly entered a crypto holder's home, assaulting and restraining the victim at gunpoint while accomplices transferred over $150,000 in cryptocurrency.

The group's use of sophisticated money-laundering techniques and encrypted communication initially concealed their activities. However, the FBI's diligent investigation, assisted by other field offices and local police departments, ultimately brought their operation to a halt. The guilty verdict serves as a testament to the tireless efforts of law enforcement agencies in combating cryptocurrency-related crimes.

As Executive Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI's Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch noted, this case demonstrates the FBI's commitment to protecting the American people from violent criminals like Remy St. Felix. The conviction sends a strong message to those who seek to exploit and harm others for their cryptocurrency assets: they will be held accountable for their actions.