Federal prosecutors charged three Missouri men on August 4 for their role in a 2024 plot to rob a Connecticut resident of hundreds of millions in stolen Bitcoin by threatening his family. Sedric Louis, 32, John Davis, 34, and Martel Williams, 27, traveled from St. Louis to Connecticut in late August, rented vehicles, and gathered supplies including air rifles and walkie-talkies.
The scheme targeted a man who had allegedly participated in a massive Bitcoin theft. Prosecutors say the plot's coordinators recruited the trio to steal a portion of the stolen cryptocurrency. Over two days, the three men stalked their target and his parents, planning a home invasion that would force the family to transfer digital assets into accounts controlled by the conspiracy's organizers.
Plan Crumbled Before Execution
Then the operation fell apart. The men abandoned Connecticut between August 21 and August 24, spooked by security cameras and frustrated with poor communication from their handlers. They left the state without attempting the robbery. Days later, a separate crew from Florida arrived to finish what the Missouri group started. On August 25, law enforcement arrested six Florida men over a violent carjacking of a Lamborghini Urus, during which they kidnapped the target's parents and beat them.
The alleged coordinators, James Schwab, Adam Iza, and Saif Faiq, had already been charged earlier. A grand jury in New Haven returned the superseding indictment against the Missouri trio on May 22, 2026. Each faces a Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy charge carrying up to 20 years in prison. Louis and Davis have been held in custody since June 25, 2026, and both entered not guilty pleas in Bridgeport federal court on July 30. Williams pleaded not guilty on July 17 and was released on bond.
The Florida men arrested in connection with the kidnapping have already pleaded guilty. US Attorney David X. Sullivan noted that an indictment does not constitute proof of guilt.
This article is informational and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Details are based on court filings and official statements from prosecutors.
