In brief
- Remy St Felix was initially found guilty of heading a group involved in home invasions that targeted and stole cryptocurrency.
- Already serving a lengthy 47-year prison term, an additional six years were tacked on for assaulting a crucial witness.
- Reports of violent attacks against cryptocurrency holders, sometimes called “wrench attacks,” have seen a concerning increase recently.
A Florida resident, already facing a 47-year sentence for masterminding a series of violent home invasions targeting individuals who owned cryptocurrency, had more time added to his prison sentence last week. According to information released by the U.S. Department of Justice, he received additional jail time for an attack on a witness.
Remy St Felix, aged 25, now faces an additional seven years behind bars for assaulting a witness. This witness provided crucial testimony linking him to the extensive home invasion scheme, where victims were reportedly assaulted and restrained with zip ties. This information was shared by authorities in a news release.
Reports indicate that St Felix approached the witness, who was both shackled and handcuffed, at a detention center located in North Carolina. He proceeded to strike the witness in the face, head, and body. This incident occurred in October, after St Felix had already been convicted on nine counts, including kidnapping and using a firearm during violent crimes. He allegedly called the witness a “rat” during the assault.
According to the Department of Justice, St Felix informed the witness that his initial 47-year sentence was the witness’s fault. Further reports suggest he later “gloated” about the assault to both his girlfriend and his mother.
In May, St Felix entered a guilty plea for one count of retaliating against a witness who provided testimony in a criminal trial. While the sentence includes 36 months running concurrently with his previous sentence, the end result is an effective increase in his total time served by nearly four years.
St Felix’s second conviction occurs amidst a troubling increase in reported incidents of physical attacks against cryptocurrency holders. These attacks, sometimes referred to as “wrench attacks,” circumvent even the most sophisticated digital security measures by resorting to violence and physical force.
This trend has been particularly pronounced in Paris, where several individuals have had their fingers severed during captivity. Law enforcement in the region has made numerous arrests, including that of a 24-year-old believed to be the mastermind behind these attacks in June. Just this week, another wrench attack was reported in Paris.
In one instance within the United States, St Felix’s group abducted someone from their residence in Florida, transported them 120 miles away, and subjected them to a beating while holding them against their will. In another incident, a family in Texas was held captive for three hours before the group escaped with cash and expensive timepieces.
St Felix was one of 14 people charged in connection to these crimes. Authorities state that the group collectively stole approximately $3.5 million in cryptocurrency. In addition to his original sentence from September, St Felix was also instructed to pay $524,000 in restitution, representing the value of the stolen assets.
At the same time, another individual involved in the scheme, Jarod Gabriel Seemungal, received a 20-year prison sentence. He was ordered to pay $4 million in restitution for providing the home invasion team with necessary resources, including rental vehicles, lodging, and firearms.
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