Man Convicted in International Conspiracy to Steal Bitcoin through Violent Home Invasions
A man has been convicted for his involvement in a disturbing international conspiracy that targeted cryptocurrency owners through violent home invasions, kidnappings, and robberies. Remy St Felix was found guilty of orchestrating a series of brutal crimes in Durham, Florida, Texas, and New York between September 2022 and July 2023.
According to court documents and evidence presented by the U.S. Department of Justice, St Felix led a robbery crew that specifically targeted individuals who owned Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. One harrowing incident involved two men posing as construction workers who violently invaded the home of a couple in Durham, threatening them with guns and zip ties while demanding access to their cryptocurrency accounts.
“The victims in this case suffered a horrible, painful experience that no citizen should have to endure,” said U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston. “The defendant and his co-conspirators acted purely out of greed and callously terrorized those they targeted.”
Prosecutors revealed that St Felix was in communication with another individual, Jarod Gabriel Seemungal, who provided instructions on how to transfer funds from the victims’ accounts. The men managed to steal $156,853 in three transactions before their fourth attempt was flagged and denied by Coinbase.
Despite attempts to cover their tracks through encrypted communication and anonymous financial transactions, the FBI was able to apprehend St Felix in July 2023 as he was en route to commit another home invasion in New York. He is set to be sentenced on September 11.
“St Felix and his co-conspirators targeted victims across the United States for brutal home invasions, kidnappings, and robberies in order to steal cryptocurrency,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri. “The jury’s verdict today should serve as a reminder that the Criminal Division is committed to bringing violent offenders to justice, no matter how technically sophisticated their crimes may be.”