Greater Manchester Gang Sentenced for Cryptocurrency Kidnapping

A gang in the UK has been sentenced to a total of 76 years in prison for kidnapping and torturing a man to steal his cryptocurrency, highlighting the dangers faced by digital asset investors. The group, which terrorized the victim over nearly a year, used violence, threats, and drugs to force him to hand over over £100,000 worth of crypto. The victim was found on December 2, 2023, after police acted on an anonymous tip-off, discovering him in a state of distress with visible injuries. Investigations revealed that the gang had used various weapons and even drugged the victim during his captivity. The ringleaders, Jonathan Newns and David Povey, received 20-year sentences, while others were sentenced for their roles in the violent extortion scheme. Police utilized DNA evidence from cigarette butts left at the crime scene to identify and apprehend the gang members.