Texas Brothers Charged in $8M Minnesota Crypto Kidnapping and Hostage Case

Two Texas brothers, Raymond Christian Garcia and Isiah Angelo Garcia, have been federally charged with kidnapping after allegedly holding a Minnesota family hostage for nine hours and stealing $8 million in cryptocurrency. The incident occurred on September 19 in Grant, Minnesota, where the brothers used guns to force the family to transfer Bitcoin and Ethereum into wallets controlled by them, later also retrieving additional funds from a remote location. The crime caused local authorities to cancel a homecoming football game due to the threat and law enforcement activity. The brothers were arrested in Texas following an investigation involving surveillance footage, motel receipts, and a rental car, with Isiah Garcia confessing to the crime. They face severe federal and state charges, including kidnapping, burglary, and aggravated robbery, with potential life sentences and mandatory minimum prison terms. The case highlights the increasing intersection of cryptocurrency crimes with violent home invasions in the US.