Missouri Man Pleads Guilty to Bitcoin Kidnapping Conspiracy

Martel Williams, 27, from St. Louis, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery in federal court in Hartford. The charge, related to a failed scheme to steal bitcoin from a Connecticut family, carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The plot began in August 2024, targeting a man involved in a theft worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Williams and two associates traveled to Connecticut, where they rented vehicles and gathered supplies, including air rifles and walkie-talkies, to execute the plan. They stalked the target and his parents for two days but left without carrying out the robbery due to concerns about being captured on security cameras and frustrations with their coordinators. A second crew from Florida attempted the scheme on August 25, 2024, but was arrested after a violent carjacking involving the target's parents. The federal case focuses on the attempted robbery, not the original bitcoin theft, which is estimated between 230 million and 245 million dollars. Williams was arrested on July 17, 2026, and remains free pending sentencing.

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