Four people in London have been convicted for kidnapping a man they wrongly believed had a large amount of cryptocurrency.
According to a July 22 report by The Times, the group had tricked the victim, a Belgian barber, into visiting the UK by offering a luxury stay and company.
The victim, Quentin Cepeljac, had claimed to be a successful crypto trader. One of the kidnappers, Davina Raaymakers, contacted him through social media weeks before the incident. She invited him to London and promised an upscale apartment.
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However, when Cepeljac arrived in May 2023, he was taken to a small rented room in Shepherd’s Bush instead. Three men, including Raaymakers’ boyfriend, were already inside.
As soon as Cepeljac entered, he was attacked. The group demanded access to his crypto wallet.
They were shocked to find he had only £6.71 (around $9) in it. Initially, they requested £50,000 ($67,000). When that did not work, they settled for £2,000 ($2,700), which they forced him to transfer from his bank account. He was held overnight and released the next day after the payment went through.
After being freed, Cepeljac went straight to police officers at St. Pancras station. Investigators used his information, along with phone and Airbnb records, to track down the suspects.
All four people involved later admitted to blackmail. The trial was held at Isleworth Crown Court, although full court records were not publicly available.
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